Massayan completes Weld/Smullen double

Massayan completed a double on the card for Dermot Weld, Pat Smullen and the Aga Khan, as he took the last at Galway, the Sean Cleary Memorial Maiden.

Sixth of eleven on his debut at the Curragh last month, the son of Iffraaj was briefly available at 7/2 last night, opening on-course on just 11/8, before going off the clear 6/5 favourite.

Towards rear in the early stages, the chestnut colt moved into sixth with five furlongs to race, and was pushed along to close on the outer with over three furlongs to go.

He was ridden to challenge as they rounded the bend into the straight, and he soon got to the front, keeping on well under pressure from there, holding off the game effort of newcomer Burning Sword by a neck.

The runner-up was returned at 9/1 (from 12's) under Kevin Manning for Jim Bolger, while the easy to back Treasure Chest (11/4 from 7/4) was six lengths back in third under Donnacha O'Brien for his father Aidan.

Smullen, who was earlier on the mark with Almela said afterwards: "He is still a big raw horse and was very green with me at the Curragh and again today. You need to know what you're doing around here and I think his ability got him out of trouble and to be fair he battled well.

"A bit of nicer ground would be ideal for him and I think he is a horse who will learn and improve with racing. To be fair he stuck at it well under pressure in the last furlong."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes