Gilgamboa does it well on debut

Gilgamboa was always in the vanguard in the two mile maiden hurdle at Galway and he quickened off the pace inside the last half furlong to win at 4/1.

The eight-runner field was reduced to seven runners as Double Irish was ruled out due to a stone bruise. He had been expected to go off the long odds-on favourite on what was to be his first start for Gordon Elliott after a pair of runner-up finishes in point-to-points for Pat Colville. El Soro cut out the running, but was readily picked off by Gilgamboa who had raced second throughout. This was Gilgamboa’s racecourse debut for Enda Bolger and Niall Madden was in the saddle.

“He knew his job as all of Enda’s do, they are all well schooled. It wasn’t the strongest of races, but I got a good jump at the last and that sealed it for him. He’ll get further,” Niall Madden said. Afterclass (4/1) grabbed second, three lengths back. He was three parts of a length in front of El Soro the 7/4 favourite.

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes