Dermot Weld reigns again at Galway while star hurdler Sharjah makes perfect start to chasing career

Dermot Weld might not be the undisputed king of Ballybrit anymore but he showed he still has a royal touch by narrowly securing the Colm Quinn BMW Mile with Coeur D'Or, courtesy of a cracking Chris Hayes ride.

Dropped in from a wide draw in stall 15 by Hayes, Coeur D'Or came with a late surge to mow down Ado McGuinness' No More Porter to get up by a head on the line, with Dunum, who looked set to win inside the distance, just run out of it in third. In a testament to the handicapper, an oversized blanket would have covered the first 15 home.

It was a pulsating edition of the €120,000 contest, but it was Weld who prevailed for an eighth time since first claiming the prestigious mile contest with Bonnie Bess in 1985.

For Hayes, conscious of his new wife Rachel watching at home, it was a third victory in the race.

"I'm married and a part-time farmer now," Hayes quipped. "She will be watching in so I'd say an extension is on the cards as well now."

Of Couer D'Or, who is owned by Stephen O'Connor and Mark Phelan and returned at 14-1, Hayes added: "He is a right old horse. He got me the full set of Flat tracks in Ireland last year when he won a maiden at Laytown so I am very fond of him — he is a legend. He just tries so hard. I thought the ground was too slow, but in fairness to connections they just said to do my own thing and he helped me every step of the way. To be honest I told the boss not to run him so thank God he doesn't listen to me!"

Weld loves nothing better than the culmination of a long-range target and this was one of those occasions. Couer D'Or was his only runner in the race and it was the seven-year-old's debut at the track.

"This was the plan and he delivered," said Weld, who combined with Hayes to double up with Livio Milo in the subsequent maiden. "He has been a very consistent horse and is a brave horse. We were just worried about the ground because he is very effective on a slightly quicker surface, so I am delighted."

Sharjah shines on chase debut

Sharjah: made a winning start over fencesCredit: Patrick McCann

Willie Mullins is the man who has usurped Weld from the Galway throne in recent years and he also bagged a double on the night.

The champion trainer's six-time Grade 1 winner Sharjah was faultless on his much-anticipated debut over fences when coasting home by 11 lengths to land the 2m2f beginners' chase at 1-4 in the hands of Paul Townend.

A two-time Champion Hurdle runner-up, Sharjah has been one of the best and most consistent hurdlers around in recent years and was making his debut over fences at the age of ten. The stable did something similar with another Rich Ricci-owned superstar a few years ago when Faugheen made the switch to chasing at 11, going on to be a dual Grade 1 winner in his new discipline, and there's no reason to suggest Sharjah can't make a similar impact based on this stylish introduction.

"He jumped like he did at home," said Mullins. "Every time we schooled him, he looked very capable and confident over fences, so I’m very pleased with him. If he wasn’t good, we wouldn’t have gone chasing but he looked such a natural over them at home.

"He didn’t give Paul any worries, he stood back at the second last the first time around and the second time around Paul just let him do what he wanted at it and he just put a quick one in and was very good.

"I think you’d get nice ground for the Drinmore so that could be an option. He enjoyed it today and hopefully he will stay enjoying it."

Arctic flies home

The stable's Arctic Fly never saw another rival in the opening Listed novice hurdle over 2m½f.

The apparent fourth string of the Mullins brigade went off at 12-1 on her second start over obstacles after she stayed on strongly to land a Punchestown maiden hurdle back in June.

Sean O'Keeffe dictated affairs onboard the five-year-old from the outset, and she showed a smart turn of foot to sprint away from the field after the second last and maintained her advantage all the way to the line to record a four-and-a half-length-success over the Peter Fahey-trained Sherodan.

Meanwhile, 4-6 favourite Absurde trailed home in sixth, with Mullins nominating the Ebor handicap at York his next assignment.

Mullins said: "Sean was very good on her. You could see him slowing down the whole thing and everyone was just sitting in behind him and he kept enough in reserve to kick.

"She’s a Walk In The Park filly, you can’t get much better I think. She’s going to improve I would say."

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