Cromwell's winner attracts plenty of Likes in the ring

The heavily-backed favourite, Ilikedwayurthinkin (11/4 to 2/1 on course, as big as 11/2 in the morning) ran away with the Tote Proud Sponsor Of The Galway Races Handicap Hurdle for Gavin Cromwell and Darragh O’Keeffe.

The lightly-raced Yeats gelding shot through a gap after the second-last hurdle and quickly went clear of his nineteen rivals.

The winning margin was six and-a-half lengths, with Sweet Home Chicago (25/1) in second. Whatsyourstatus (18/1) and Dawn Raider (33/1) filled the frame in third and fourth, a further length and-a-quarter and a nose away.

The J.P.McManus-owned winner had caught the eye once or twice previously, and came here fit and well after a break since his last run at Naas in March.

The winning trainer Gavin Cromwell commented: “He was good. The step up in trip obviously was a big help.

“He’s had plenty of problems as a young horse and was very sore after Fairyhouse. The break did him good.

“He’s in again on Sunday but I don’t know if he’ll run. I’ll have to chat to the lads and see how he comes out of this.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee