Bryan Cooper was among the winners on the second day of the Galway festival when landing the opening Listed novice hurdle on the Matthew Smith-trained Flaming Moon. Owned by Debbie Kelly and Gordon Cranston, the 11/1 chance was ridden positively by the famed Tralee jockey who had the five-year-old at the head of affairs before halfway. In gritty fashion, the partnership held off all challengers from the second last hurdle to beat Gordon Elliott’s Amir Kabir by half a length.
Jack Kennedy left it late but he managed a Galway festival winner as Vado Forte took the two-mile two-furlong handicap chase at odds of 16/1 on the final day on Sunday. The nine-year-old, trained by Gordon Elliott for the Call It What You Like Syndicate, led over the second last fence and battled well to see off the Ross O'Sullivan-trained Benefit Run by half a length.
