‘My Dad's in hospital so he'll enjoy watching this' – Gordon Elliott delights as Western Fold serves up Galway Plate win
Amirite led the field until the final two fences but that was when Gilligan moved into contention going ominously well, along with Noel Meade's Jesse Evans, who, having been runner-up in the Galway Hurdle twice, went on to fill the same position in the Plate.
It was all about Western Fold (11-1), however, who won by four and a half lengths with Shecouldbeanything back in third, a stablemate of the winner.
Elliott and Gilligan were successful in the Plate two years ago with Ash Tree Meadow while it was a fifth win in the race overall for the trainer.
The favourite, Nurburgring, aiming to join an elite list who have won the Hurdle and Plate, made an early mistake and was never competitive.
'He's a right horse. Bobby O'Ryan bought him for David (L'Estrange) and John (Wright, owners) and the boys have been very patient with him, he was a bit backward when he was young,' said Elliott.
'This race has been the plan for a while so I'm delighted the lads are here, it's a dream for the lads to be here and win the race. Bobby put the syndicate together so all credit has to go to him.
'Everything worked out great. Danny got away at the start and the horse jumped like a buck, I think he just missed one into the dip. Everything went right and it was poetry in motion.
'I thought it (10lb rise) might be enough to stop him to be honest, I was worried.
'I'd say the ground is the key to this horse, he likes a bit of nice ground. He's a very nice horse.
'My Dad's in hospital so he'll enjoy watching this and hopefully it will cheer him up.
'He'll be out, hopefully, for the football in Summerhill on Saturday. He's watching it in hospital so hopefully it gives him a lift.'
Earlier on the card, Hipop De Loire saw his odds cut for the Sky Bet Ebor when taking the opening Tote #50,000 Guaranteed Placepot Today Maiden Hurdle for Willie Mullins.
Sent off the 4/9 favourite for his first hurdling start since running at this meeting last season, he obliged in style, recording an emphatic 11-length victory over Tony Martin's Zanndabad.
Paddy Power now make him 7/2 to better last year's fifth in York's feature handicap and provide the master of Closutton a third victory in the race after Sesenta (2009) and Absurde (2023).
'He came to us last year. He ran a cracker here in Galway and ran a really good race in the Ebor, which I think we'll probably head back for now after that,' said Mullins.
'Looking at him jumping there he was electric for a horse having his second run over hurdles, coming from Poland. The only jumping he did was in our place.
'His Ebor run was a hell of a run. Hopefully we can go back this year, get a bit more daylight and keep out of trouble.'
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