My Great Mate (11/10f) continued a good Galway run for connections today as the Willie Mullins-trained gelding landed the €100 Annual Badge Novice Hurdle.

Ridden by the champion trainer's nephew Danny Mullins, five-year-old My Great Mate battled gamely for a half-length win over Prends Garde A Toi thus adding to his previous 2023 summer festival success at the Connacht course.

My Great Mate carries the colours of Temple Bloodstock Syndicate, run by Aubrey McMahon, who reported: "The horse who beat My Great Mate at Listowel is no slouch and it was a good performance today. He jumped as well as he ever did, was quick and efficient and is a tough horse who is on the go since he won his bumper here last summer.

"I don't think he wants deep winter ground but he is versatile.

McMahon, who himself won two renewals of the prestigious Connacht Hotel Amateur Riders' Handicap as a jockey, added: "There are 18 owners of this horse and there are plenty of those owners staying over in Galway for the bank holiday weekend, so this is brilliant. It has been a lucky course for me and it's always nice to have a winner here.

“Temple Bloodstock have eight horses owned by various syndicate members and have run three to date, which have all won.”