LOCAL trainers were strongly represented at the weekend Galway October Bank Holiday Festival and Craughwell handler Brian Cawley got Ballybrit’s season finale off to the perfect start.

Saddling the well supported In The Minus (6/1) in the opening QuinnBet 3-Year-Old Maiden Hurdle last Saturday, Shane Fitzgerald’s mount stepped up on previous form over flights to comfortably take the honours despite fluffing the final obstacle.

Cawley, who turned out Hope She Flies to win handicap hurdles at Roscommon and Clonmel recently, was naturally delighted to strike at his home track.

“We went to Sedgefield the last day when it was game over after only one hurdle, as he was too keen. When Fitzy (Fitzgerald) got down off him, I told him that no matter what, we had to settle him the next day. At Sedgefield, he was keen and also ran off one bend but was still only beaten 15 lengths by the winner, who came out and won by 11 lengths the next day.

“The third horse also won since so looking at it in black and white afterwards, it was a good race. Today I told him that if he gets him asleep, have one good go and that he would come up the hill, and he did. The first day In The Minus ran over hurdles we had doubts about him staying and he was back in distance today. We’ll worry about plans next week,” said Cawley.

As it transpired, In the Minus proved the only locally trained winner of the three-day meeting, but it was fitting that Athenry native and Carlow based handler Pat Fahy rounded off the festival on Monday’s flat card with a 9/2 winner.

Dual-purpose performer You Make Me Smile, successful over hurdles at Sligo the previous Friday, made light of those exertions when stretching clear up the hill in the concluding The Galway Races Handicap over almost a mile and a half.

Much interest on Sunday’s card centred on the popular Buddy One’s fortunes in the featured Glenman Corporation Handicap Chase in which the Paul Gilligan trained eight-year-old was burdened with top weight.

An honourable sixth in the Galway Plate at the Summer Festival last July, Buddy One has yet to make the same impression over fences as he did in staying hurdles, and he again didn’t impress with his jumping.

Buddy One was still in contention heading into the dip for the final two fences, but a couple of slow leaps sealed his fate, trailing in an underwhelming 20 lengths sixth behind winner Millforce. Connections may opt to return him over hurdles.

But just half an hour earlier, there were great Galway celebrations when Hees Dynamite chalked up a fourth career win in the Brasserie On The Corner Handicap Steeplechase.

Owned by John Earls from Killimordaly, the Eric McNamara trained seven-year-old was always in the front rank, travelling well and had five lengths to spare over Smallcraft warning by the line.

The most valuable race on Saturday’s card was the WB Gavin & Co Handicap Hurdle and in an open betting heat, it was veteran handler Noel Meade who took the spoils with the Sam Ewing ridden Sportinthepark.

There was a big turn up in the concluding Joe O’Gorman & Martin Collins Memorial Bumper when 43-year-old owner, trainer and jockey, James Conheady, steered debutant Our Guide to a shock 33/1 success.

Monday’s all-flat card saw champion trainer Aidan O’Brien pull off a double but punters were left bruised as odds-on chances, Venosa and Garden Party, were turned over by stablemates, Classiest and Proposition, respectively.

Meanwhile, Galway jockey Danny Gilligan, who is enjoying a fine campaign, was on the mark at Wexford on Monday when market leader, the Cian Collins trained Ring Of Kerry, obliged in the Racing TV Maiden Hurdle.

Pictured: Owner John Earls from Killimordaly leads in Hees Dynamite and jockey Patrick O’Brien to the winners’ enclosure after landing The Brasserie On The Corner Handicap Steeplechase at Ballybrit on Sunday. Photos: Iain McDonald.