There were joyous scenes at the Galway Races on Tuesday evening as Magic Chegaga landed the feature race for a syndicate and fledgling trainer Brian Duffy.
The 6/1 shot won the COLM QUINN BMW Mile Handicap for the Magic Lads Syndicate under champion jockey Colin Keane.
Representing Duffy, who only has four horses in training, the recent Curragh runner-up went one better under a power-packed ride from Keane to pick up the lion’s share of €120,000.
READ MORE: Galway Races day two live updates
Duffy revealed the winner’s horsebox had broken down on the way to the racing: “We were travelling our two horses in two different boxes and one of them overheated so we ended up getting into a churchyard in Rochfortbridge and we had no choice but to throw them in together.
“I thought ‘this is going to go terribly wrong!’. I really could have done without it coming here for this race.
“I still can’t believe it has actually happened. I was just hoping she’d hold on and there wasn’t a late finisher coming to nab her, but she just kept on finding and she’s a brilliant filly.
“We had the champion (Keane) on board and he’s champion for a reason. He gave her a super ride, from that draw to get her in and get her settled in mid-division was super stuff.
“You couldn’t make it up, it’s unbelievable. When we bought her we were hoping she’d just win a race.
“The lads said they had around €15,000 to buy something (bought for €12,500) and it was during 2021 so it was actually online.
“I was bidding on my computer in between working. I was working from home for a logistics company doing customs clearance.
“We just have four in training, a restricted licence, and half my yard are running here tonight. It’s unbelievable to have one to run in this, never mind win it.
“It’s one of the highlights of the year for Flat trainers at Galway, the big Colm Quinn Handicap. It’s unbelievable to get it among all the real trainers, I’m only a minnow.”
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