< Whiskey Sour capped a profitable week at the Galway Festival with a hard-fought win in the Guinness Handicap.
Saddled with a 7lb penalty for his victory in the amateurs' event at the start of the meeting, the 7-4 favourite looked booked for minor money at best when the strong-travelling Mawaany took a few lengths out of his rivals two furlongs out.
Whiskey Sour has stamina in abundance, though, and ate into the leader's advantage before flashing past the post three-quarters of a length to the good to give Willie Mullins yet another big success.
The champion NH trainer doubled up when 11-4 joint-favourite Renneti toyed with his rivals in the Budweiser Race, coasting home from Ted Veale < On Fiddlers Green was a big disappointment as he attempted to retain his Guinness Galway Blazers Handicap Chase crown, but trainer Henry de Bromhead still plundered the prize with Riviera Sun
Barry Geraghty stuck to the inside after jumping the last still with plenty of work to do, and it helped him make up ground on the leaders before the 16-1 shot stayed on strongly to deny Phil's Magic by three-quarters of a length.< Top Othe Ra backed up his recent maiden hurdle success with victory in the Guinness Handicap Hurdle.
Just 10 days on from breaking through at Ballinrobe, the Tom Mullins-trained 10-1 chance has obviously recovered well because he fought hard to see off Golden Spear by a couple of lengths.< Warm The Voice justified 2-1 favouritism with an emphatic triumph in the Guinness 17:59 Irish EBF Median Auction Maiden.
Brendan Duke's colt was third in a good Leopardstown maiden only eight days ago but built on that to dispose of Shifted Strategy by two and three-quarter lengths.< Flaming Sea (4-1) fended off Dawn Choir in the Guinness Irish EBF Fillies Maiden, while Empress Lyla (5-1) took the Arthur Guinness Handicap.
