Tudor City strikes Galway Hurdle gold for the second time

Conditional jockey Liam McKenna celebrated his biggest day in the saddle as Tudor City landed the Guinness Galway Hurdle Handicap at odds of 22-1.

Remarkably McKenna was having his first ride of the season aboard the 10-year-old, who first won the big handicap in 2019 and was giving trainer Tony Martin his fourth victory in the two-mile event since 2014.

Joseph O’Brien’s Prairie Dancer and Jessica Harrington’s The Very Man had led the field along at a frenetic pace for the majority of the typically competitive affair, but the complexion of the race changed as the field turned for home and both Jesse Evans and the John Breslin-owned Tudor City loomed up travelling smoothly.

It was Bryan Cooper and Jesse Evans who made the first move and headed the game Prairie Dancer jumping the last flight of hurdles, but McKenna timed his challenge to perfection aboard Tudor City and pounced inside the final furlong as the veteran became the only horse of a double-figure age to win this race since 1947.

“We’ve had a few great days here and this lad won it a few years ago and prior to that we’ve won it with Quick Jack and Thomas Edison,” said Martin.

“These are the races you love to win and target them a while out. Fortunately enough it has worked out for us a few times. It’s a great place to be, it’s great to be here and great to have the ammunition.

“I met John in America in 1985, he’s a great friend of my father’s and he’s looked after me since I was a nipper. Himself and his wife Debbie are two great people. We joined up in 2000.

“At that time he only came home for Galway and Leopardstown so you’d try to have the horses for those meetings, whenever he’d be home.

“He’s been home for the last couple of years and it makes it a little