Teed Up won the opening night feature at Galway, the Connacht Hotel Handicap, in the hands of jockey Ray Barron.
The 7/2 race favourite, trained by Emmet Mullins, had a half length to spare at the finishing line from The Very Man in the two-mile one furlong contest.
Teed Up wins the €110,000 feature!
The favourite travels oh so well and sees it out in testing ground at the finish to strike for Emmet Mullins, Raymond Barron and the Mee family at @Galway_Races 🏇 pic.twitter.com/LjiKbvbpF8
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 31, 2023
The six-year-old winner, a recent Tramore runner-up, was another big winner on the CV of former rider, Emmet Mullins, who trained Noble Yeats to win the 2022 Aintree Grand National.
Gordon Elliott’s Shajak was third in Monday’s highlight, a half-length behind the runner-up The Very Man, with HMS Seahorse next home in fourth.
🗣 "Horses for courses."
Teed Up is now 211211 at @Galway_Races and Emmet Mullins speaks to @irishkor about his big-race winner on day one at the festival.
Expect to see this one out again later this week! pic.twitter.com/gdIfqleEc2
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 31, 2023
Top owner JP McManus had an opening evening double courtesy of Mystical Power (7/4f, jockey Mark Walsh) in the first race, the Galwaybayhotel.com&Galmont.com Novice Hurdle, and Neveradullmoment (4/1f, jockey Danny Gilligan) in the EasyFix Handicap Hurdle.
The former, a four-year-old gelded son of Galileo out of former top mare, Annie Power, was also the first leg of a double for trainer Willie Mullins, who later won the bumper with My Great Mate (9/2, Patrick Mullins).
Different class!
Mystical Power – by Galileo out of Annie Power – bolts up in an exciting start to the 2023 Galway Festival and remains unbeaten for Mark Walsh, Willie Mullins and JP McManus 🏇 pic.twitter.com/Zs71BtEvVM
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 31, 2023
Mythology (7/4f), second to the impressive Henry Longfellow at The Curragh on his most recent start, got on the board for Joseph O’Brien and Donegal rider Dylan Browne McMonagle.
Another winning favourite!
Mythology (Starspangledbanner) had no answer to Henry Longfellow last time but the Railway Stakes fifth gets his turn from the eye-catching Sea The Polaris in the opening Flat race at @Galway_Races 🏇 @JosephOBrien2 pic.twitter.com/6LAyvyyxgo
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 31, 2023
The 8/1 shot Rio Largo was successful for breeder/trainer Luke Comer in the Claytonhotelgalway.ie Handicap over seven furlongs, in the hands of Declan McDonagh, while Youcrackmeup (16/1) gave handler Jessica Harrington and jockey Shane Foley a winner on the first night of the festival.
