Saldier and Patrick Mullins (right) challenge at the last © Photo Healy Racing
The topweight Saldier won the Guinness Galway Hurdle at odds of 18/1 to give Patrick Mullins a remarkable third win in four years in the race.
It was a fifth win in the Galway Hurdle for Willie Mullins, as dual Grade One winner Saldier led on the run-in to beat the British challenger Milkwood (16/1) by two lengths.
It was a just a further head, and the same, back to the 6/1 favourite Cape Gentleman and Jesse Evans (25/1) in third and fourth respectively.
The Soldier Hollow 7-year-old, who’s had injury problems in recent years, was winning off a mark of 155 having reached a rating of 159 when winning the 2019 Morgiana Hurdle.
“It was fantastic for Patrick to get his third win, it's an extraordinary achievement for an amateur,” said Willie Mullins, who was recording a treble after earlier wins for Farout and Fan De Blues
“I'm very proud of him. I know he's kicking himself that he's not able to win the amateur handicap but no-one would swap one Connacht Hotel Handicap for three Galway Hurdles.
“It's a great testament to the handicapper that the topweights can win these big handicaps.
“We tried everything with this horse and the prize-money was the only lure that we came here. We needed to have a crack at it anyway.
“I put cheekpieces on him and it probably just concentrated his mind a little bit.
“Patrick thought he was travelling well at all stages. He just got into a few traffic problems around the second last and came out but once he got through he was happy enough.
“He travelled and jumped well. Patrick said he was very brave throughout the race, jumping wise.
“He just got an awful fright the day he fell in Naas as a four-year-old and I'd say it's taken him all that time to get over it. He's just never had the same confidence and never been the same horse.
“He's slowly, slowly coming back and then trying to run in Grade 1 races too is probably tough on him.
“Virginie Bascop who rides him out and led him up today has been huge for him as she's kept him sound all season. She deserves a lot of praise.
“Keeping him sound and right has been half the battle.
“I might go down the Flat route again with him.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
