Walsh and Oslot deliver gamble on a Plate

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BRIAN O'CONNOR Reports from Ballybrit
RACING: OSLOT BECAME just the third British-trained winner of the WilliamHill Galway Plate when justifying a huge gamble under Ruby Walshyesterday but in landmark terms he had to compete with the mostdominant Ballybrit figure of all as Dermot Weld reached theremarkable 200-winner mark for the summer festival in some style.
The "Galway King" saddled a double yesterday and while Directa Kingbecame a candidate for possibly the easiest handicap winner seen inyears around here, it was Lady Alicia who had the honour of beingthe 200th winner trained at the festival by Weld when landing theamateur maiden.
"It's a nice day to do it on and it is a satisfying moment," saidthe man whose first success as a trainer at Galway came with KlairVimy in 1972. "There's no sign of the horses slowing down but I'mnot looking too far ahead. We've got to try and win the next race!"
That didn't quite happen as the last race favourite, DesignatedDecoy, was beaten in the maiden by Amarama. But yesterday's doublebrought Weld's total for the week to eight, already just two shy ofhis best ever score for a week at the festival. He has saddled 10winners here on four previous occasions.
The biggest cheer, however, was reserved for Oslot's four-lengthdefeat of Oodachee as Ruby Walsh secured his second success in themid-summer chase highlight to bring off a major public punt.
Morning prices of 11 to 2 quickly disappeared and Oslot's 11 to 4SP meant he became the shortest-priced winner since Kiichi won at 2to 1 in 1990.
In the process he followed in the footsteps of Amlah 10 years agoand Strategy in 1904 as British-trained Plate winners whilebringing to a perfect conclusion a long-held plan by Paul Nicholls.
Britain's champion trainer was out of luck when Hoo La Baloo wasbrought down in the race last year but he long believed Oslot was aperfect candidate for compensation this time.
"Last year we were unlucky but that's jump racing. There arehiccups. We'd planned this for a little while because it's amassive prize," Nicholls said. "Today was his aim. It was his GoldCup. It doesn't matter if he retires for the rest of the season!"
Yesterday's victory adds to an ever-growing list of major chasewins in this country by Nicholls whose association with Walsh isnow the dominant one in National Hunt racing. "He's a great trainerand he has so many good horses," said Walsh. "Paul had this plan inhis head for a while and the horse travelled so well. I was afraidI got there too soon and half way up the hill things got a bitlonely. But all of Paul's keep going."
Oodachee chased Oslot home but it was the former double-winnerAnsar who again ran a blinding race in the Plate to finish third."He's run a wonderful race and is an amazing horse. Denis (O'Regan)said the ground had just gone a little for him. His jumping justisn't as precise when it isn't quick," said Dermot Weld.
If Oslot was dramatic then there was no doubting who the easiestwinner of the day was as Directa King was a ridiculously easywinner of the mile-and-a-half handicap. The half-brother to theDeutsches Derby winner Dai Jin is a recent purchase out of Germanyby Weld and he proved different class to yesterday's rivals.
"He was bought as a dual-purpose horse and I think he'll do a jobin a maiden hurdle somewhere as well," grinned the trainer.
Another wide-margin handicap winner was Vanishing Causeway who wonthe mile handicap by nine lengths while South African jockey KeeganLatham rode his first Galway winner on board Invincible Joe in theother mile handicap.
© 2008 The Irish Times
This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times