IT proved a day of contrasting emotions for Galway connections on the opening card of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown on Sunday.

The Mulryan family from Castlegar were celebrating the victory of the progressive Cousin Kate in the opening Mares’ Handicap Hurdle, but for jockey Stephen Connor from the same parish it turned out to be an afternoon to forget.

Even the Mulryan’s big-race triumph was tinged with sadness as Cousin Kate had been sourced by the late Hugh Mulryan who died tragically in a motoring accident in the UK last year having just joined Adrian Keately’s stable in North Yorkshire as an assistant trainer.

Son of Liam Mulryan in whose colours Cousin Kate carries, the horse’s trainer Denis Hogan from Tipperary paid tribute to Hugh after a third win on the trot for the five-year-old mare.

“Hughie Mulryan bought her and he’s not with us today. It’s an emotional day. All his family are here, and Liam Mulryan has been such a good supporter of mine since I started training.

“We’ve had good days and I’ve cost him a lot of money over the years, but he’s always stuck with me. He’s been very loyal. All the Mulryans are good friends of mine and I’m delighted for them.

“She was very well bought by Hughie, for €50,000 out of Augusta Kate, who is breeding winners galore, and she was a Grade 1 winner herself.”

Cousin Kate was always prominent in the €100,000 listed contest and was sent for home on the heavy ground by seven lbs claimer Michael Kenneally, having enough in reserve to fend off the late challenge of Dameauscottlestown. The Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival could be next on the agenda for the Mulryans’ rapid improver.

Unfortunately, the Leopardstown card ended on a tough note for jockey Connor who mistook the 50-yard marker for the winning post on Royal Hillsborough in the concluding listed bumper valued at €100,000.

Having got a renewed challenge from the Stuart Crawford trained 9/1, amateur jockey Connor was on the brink of his biggest ever racecourse success only to ease his mount and hand the initiative back to Moonverrin which snatched the verdict by a short head.

Connor was understandably distraught afterwards and held his hands up before the Stewards, stating he had misjudged the winning post. He was handed a 14-day suspension.

“That’s life and stuff like that happens sometimes,” said Royal Hillsborough owner Trevor Campbell. “The mare has run a smashing race, and Stevie [Connor] just came in and held his hands up and apologised. Everyone makes mistakes. I hold nothing against him at all.”

Former champion jockey Ruby Walsh, who was covering the meeting for Racing TV, expressed sympathy for Connor, pointing out that it’s far from the first time a jockey mistook the winning post.

Connor also received messages of support from past and present riders who are all only too well aware of how easily such an error can happen.

Pictured The Galway owned Coudin Kate powering to victory in the Listed Mares’ Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.