Elliott lands fifth Galway Plate with Western Fold

Western Fold continued his remarkable ascent through the jumping ranks with a comfortable victory in the €300,000 Galway Plate on Wednesday evening. Gordon Elliott’s charge arrived at Galway on the back of back-to-back victories over fences at Tipperary and Ballinrobe in May and despite being hiked 10 lbs in the weights for those successes, he travelled well throughout the contest for Danny Gilligan. Gilligan had won this race two years previously with Ash Tree Meadow, also for Elliott, and the six-year-old found plenty for his rider’s urgings, pulling clear of the Noel Meade-trained Jesse Evans on the run-in for a four-and-a-half length success. 

With 11-10 on his back, Western Fold produced the biggest weight-carrying victory in the race since Ansar’s success (with 11-11) back in 2005 and his rider could not hide his delight at the outcome. He said:

“I didn’t think when I won it two years ago that I’d have a chance of doing it again! I can’t thank Gordon and his owners enough and what can I say about the horse, he jumped and travelled everywhere and he did it well at the line. I think this nicer bit of ground has brought out some improvement in him and his jumping is really starting to come together. He got a fair hike (in the weights) for his win at Ballinrobe, so to come here and do that you’d have to be happy with.”

This victory was Elliott’s fifth in the race as a trainer and speaking to the Racing Post, he added: "He's a right horse. Bobby O'Ryan bought him for David (L'Estrange) and John (Wright) and the boys have been very patient with him as he was a bit backward when he was young. 

“This race has been the plan for a while so I'm delighted the lads are here. Danny got away at the start, the horse jumped like a buck. It was like poetry in motion. I'd say the ground is key, he likes a bit of nice ground.

"My dad is in hospital and he'll enjoy watching this, hopefully it'll cheer him up."

The Galway Plate is the feature race of the seven-day Galway Races Summer Festival, which is held at the city’s racecourse from Monday 28th July until Sunday 3rd August 2025.