Western powers to Victory in mares hurdle

Western Victory powered to success in the Mares Hurdle at Galway this afternoon when making every post a winning one. Great White Shark was sent to post the 4/6 favourite in the two-mile-five but her jumping let her down.

She couldn't make any impression from the second last as the Declan Queally-trained Western Victory galloped on strongly.

Sean O'Keeffe kept his mount up to her work in the closing stages as the 11/4 shot went on to record an 11-length win. Awayinthewest eventually stayed on to claim second.

The winner, backed from 6/1 this morning, was last seen finishing tailed off in Grade One company at Fairyhouse in April.

She had chased home Honeysuckle in Grade 3 company at Fairyhouse back in January.

She was making her first start for Queally today and his son and namesake said:- "That was a very good performance and Sean's seven pounds helped in that ground.

"She'll probably get a hike for that so we'll see what the handicapper does but there's a Listed mares' hurdle at Gowran in two weeks as she didn't have a majorly hard race there.

"Her form behind Honeysuckle last season was decent and she had won around here before. We have her 10 weeks."

(Quotes by Tom Weekes)