Corby off the mark at the Galway Festival

Second here in a maiden over seven furlongs last September, Sophie's World returned to Ballybrit to credit her rider Sean Corby with his first winner at the Galway Festival in the Bet Online At Thetote.com Handicap.

Owned and trainer by Kevin O'Donnell, the daughter of Captain Rio (a 14/1 chance) got the better of the well-backed Spring Focus (7s into 11/2) by a length and a half.

The Dermot Weld-trained favourite Sarafiyla (13/8) could manage no better than fifth.

"She's been good to me. That's two I've won on her now and she gave me my biggest win to date, at Gowran.

"The plan was to be handy but she was a bit slowly away and I had to sit and suffer.

"She had plenty left when she got there and she was just pricking her ears.

"That's thirteen winners now for me overall and ten for the season," said Corby.

C.P. Hoban, rider of Political Policy trained by M.Halford, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount was checked on the run out of the dip.

(AM & EM)