Galway a good place for an Expensive Taste

Expensive Taste pinched the seven furlong handicap for three-year-olds with a decisive move on the home bend in Galway.

He disputed the lead with Bobby's Heart but forged on under Chris Hayes with less than two furlongs to race. Hayes quickly took a couple of lengths out of the chasing pack as Bobby's Heart tamely dropped away.

The 12/1 shot was kept up to his work as bottom-weight Botanical Lady (11/2) sprouted wings from fourth in the home straight to close to within three quarters of a length at the winning post. Princess Aloof was two and a half lengths away in third at 10/1.

“I’m very happy with him. He’s a horse that showed us a bit last year. He had a couple of runs and a bit of a wind issue that had to be corrected. We discovered that over the winter and that seems to have been a big help,” trainer Andrew Oliver said.

“He’s in again on Friday night. He’s quite a big horse and Chris said he did take a heave so hopefully he will be okay for Friday night.”

This was Expensive Taste’s first run for 290 days and first run as a gelding.

Dermot Weld’s Bobby’s Heart was the 7/4 favourite, however, he weakened to finish last of the 10 runners.

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes