Jesse Evans, known for his affinity with Galway, claimed his first victory at the track in the beginners' chase over an extended 2m2f.
Noel Meade’s veteran, who has previously placed in three Galway Hurdles, notched up his eighth career win across seven different tracks.
Under Sam Ewing, Jesse Evans raced in a comfortable fourth position down the hill towards the penultimate fence, where he closed up on the leaders. Along with Shecouldbeanything and A Law Of Her Own, he made his move after the last fence. Ewing's mount, appearing to travel the best, soon established a narrow lead in the home straight. Jesse Evans, at 5/2, responded well to Ewing’s encouragement and pulled away to win by two and a quarter lengths for his first success over fences.
Shecouldbeanything, backed into 11/8 favouritism, had to settle for second, finishing a neck ahead of A Law Of Her Own, who was priced at 20/1.
Meade commented: "The mistake he made at Killarney actually helped him; he was flawless throughout here. That was his first error, despite his excellent schooling. An injury in the spring delayed his chase debut, and although I had planned to run him over fences at a major summer meeting, we opted for a claimer due to the lucrative prize money in the Hurdle. Unfortunately, he wasn’t as sharp this year. He thrives on good ground, and if he stays sound, I’d love to see him return for the Galway Plate next year. We’ll continue racing while the ground remains suitable, and the Cheltenham October meeting is also a possibility. He has been fantastic. Initially sold by the Bleahens in a year when they sold many horses for over €100,000, I acquired him for €15,000, and he turned out to be the best of the lot."
Comparing Jesse Evans to Pinch Hitter, a dual Galway Hurdle winner from the 1980s, Meade added, "Pinch Hitter was a miler who never jumped fences and was quite unsound, only coming right for a few summer months. They are two very different horses."