Filey is a cut above

FILEY BAY and Alan O'Sullivan stormed to victory in an emotionally-charged opening day Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap at the Galway Festival yesterday.

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The feature event on the first evening of the week-long festival at Ballybrit is restricted to amateur riders and it was Alan O'Sullivan who shone in the saddle.

O'Sullivan's brother Michael tragically died in February following injuries suffered in a fall at Thurles.

Alan O'Sullivan had to weave a path to get a run on the JP McManus-owned gelding and when he did he fairly shot clear aboard Emmet Mullins' 7-1 chance.

The winning jockey looked to the skies as he passed the line four and three-quarter lengths ahead of Mon Coeur.

"It's unbelievable, my goal at the start of the year was to be good enough that someone might want me for this," said O'Sullivan. "He was looking down on me, I think.

"When I wanted the gaps, they came for me, I got a dream run.

"I probably went the brave man's route, but I thought it's what Mikey would have done. I had loads of horse, if I got any gap at all I had the horse to take it.

"I got a dream run and he galloped all the way to the line."

Mullins said: "It was meant to be and I'm a bit lost for words. It's just magic.