Sandbanks scores, not at Laytown, but at Ballybrit

The twelve-furlong apprentice handicap was a steadily-run affair which resulted in a bunch finish and it was easy-to-back Golden Sandbanks (14/1) who gained a narrow victory.

The four-time jumps winner, who also has an all-weather win at Dundalk to his name, raced in mid-division on the outer and made steady headway in the dip before being ridden to lead a furlong out. He stayed on well under Robert Whearty to just hold the late thrust of Kermiya who was short of room at a crucial stage in the straight, by a head. 

Paul Flynn, who trains the versatile six-year-old for Aidan Gallagher, Fadhbarbith Unlimited Company and David G Walsh, said: "my horses haven't been running well due to a low-grade virus and it's only over the last seven or eight days that they have run well. This horse actually suffers from allergies, lives in the field and I think he got away with it.

"I think it could be dust-related - there was a lot of barley cut beside me recently and whether or not it's a coincidence or not I'm not sure. But a few ran better in the last few days."

He added "I ran this horse to give him a run for Listowel and he can back up quite quickly, so can still run in Listowel. 

"It is Aidan's (Gallagher, part-owner) birthday and he always wanted a Galway winner as he is from Ballinasloe. He'd love a Galway festival winner so I might have to keep Golden Sandbanks' mark for the 1m4f 0-70 next year!"

The sunshine at Ballybrit was clearly doing nothing for the mood of the stewards who handed out a second successive swingeing punishment. This time it was Kermiya's rider Jamie Powell who picked up an eight-day suspension for careless riding after he angled out his mount for a run in the final furlong and, in so doing, bumped fifth home Glyde Ranger Bill Lee had picked up a nine-day ban for a broadly similar manoeuvre on Final Gesture in the previous contest.

Quotes from Tom Weekes