NOBODY can be sure if two cross-channel raiders have ever struck on the same day at the Galway Summer Festival, but it happened on Tuesday evening at Ballybrit when two Yorkshire-based yards were on the mark.

Andrian Keatley’s stable set the ball rolling with the progressive mare Gale Mahler in the opening Colm Quinn BMW Novice Hurdle as the well-supported 9/2 shot cantered home by ten lengths.

Partnered by Henry Brooke, the five-year-old completed a six-timer and will be stepped up to graded company when returning from a well-deserved break.

The Willie Mullins trained Gaucher had been expected to follow up a bloodless win at Punchestown in June but didn’t settle and was also prone to the odd jumping error – a scenario which saw the 6/4 market leader finish out of the placings.

There was more British joy in the Caulfield Industrial Handicap as the Richard Fahey trained Reidh justified some strong market support in edging out Excuzio Joe by a head in a tight finish to the seven-furlong contest.

The featured Colm Quinn BMW Mile Handicap was typically fiercely competitive, and the spoils went to the Joseph O’Brien trained Mexicali Rose (12/1) – carrying the colours of TV pundit Kevin Blake – which just held off the strong finishing Norwalk Havo after both collared the flattering This Songisforyou inside the final 75 yards.

With his brothers, Tony and Willie, both successful on Monday evening, trainer Tom Mullins completed a notable family hat-trick as the consistent Lucky Out finally got a head in front with a comfortable win in the Caulfield Industrial Maiden.

Previous winning course form is always a plus and 12/1 chance Clear Quartz confirmed his liking for Ballybrit by landing the concluding 11-furlong handicap for the second time in three years under Ronan Whelan.

Rachael Blackmore was seen to good effect on 6/4 favourite Thecompanysergent in the Latin Quarter Beginners Chase, the seven-year-old getting the better of a sustained duel with Merlin Giant in the home straight.

The all-conquering Aidan O’Brien yard turned out their second winner of the festival when Bubbling stepped up considerably on his Leopardstown debut to win going away in the Colm Quinn Fillies Maiden.

The attendance on Tuesday evening was 13,680, which was marginally up on the 2023 corresponding figure of 13,506.

Pictured: Maureen Earls presents the winning trophy to trainer Kevin Smith after Son of Hypnos landed the Easyfix Handicap Hurdle at Ballybrit on Monday. Also in photo are Michael, Gary and Gavin Earls. Photos: Iain McDonald.