Mee's Wise move yields Galway win

Trainer Henry De Bromhead credited Michael Mee with some choice race-planning following the win of that owner's Three Wise Men in the Latin Quarter Beginners Chase at Galway today.

The 135 rated son of Presenting was having his seventh career chase start today and his first since a fall at Punchestown last May and today made virtually all under British based jockey Noel Fehily.

Fehily, who previously won on the gelding at the Fairyhouse Easter festival in March 2016, today elected to take the lead after jumping the first fence. In the end the pair scored a three lengths win over Bamako Moriviere

De Bromhead later said “this was nothing to do with me - Michael (Mee, local owner) called this race after he fell in Punchestown (in May); I was going to Wexford for a beginners’ but Michael quite wisely said to wait for this race at Galway.

“Thankfully he did and Noel was brilliant on him; he did exactly the opposite thing to what we had agreed in the ring but plans are made to be broken! Shur wasn’t he right as he (Three Wise Men) was loving it; the plan was to ‘sit in’ a little bit but you don’t want to be tying these guys when a horse is jumping as well as he was and win lose or draw, he had done the right thing.

“He has a provisional entry in a handicap chase here on Sunday over course and distance and I’ll see what the Mees want to do. We’ll see how he is but he also has plenty nice options coming up.”

He added “I’m delighted and delighted to get one for the Mees here - I know its a big week for them and they are great supporters of the festival.”

Additional information from Gary Carson