Trainer Gordon Elliott claimed a third Galway Plate in four years last night with Borice landing the feature of day three of the Galway Festival.
The 9-to-1 chance came home just over three-lengths ahead of both Black Corton and favourite Snugsborough Benny in a thrilling finish at Ballybrit.
It looked like British raider Black Corton was set to claim victory under the ride of Bryony Frost but Borice and Luke Dempsey made up the ground after the second last fence.
Borice is a third winner in the famous Galway Plate for trainer @gelliott_racing with @luke_dempsey producing the eight-year-old with expert timing
Top weight Black Corton stayed on for second under top weight while the hard-punted Movewiththetimes fell mid-race @Galway_Races pic.twitter.com/jU8cbeZ7dG
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 31, 2019
The winning jockey spoke to Off The Ball's John Duggan after the race.
"Unbelievable!"
Galway Plate-winning jockey Luke Dempsey talks @JohnDugganSport through his victory aboard @gelliott_racing trained Borice #GalwayRaces pic.twitter.com/HmFBzkbo1G
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) July 31, 2019
While Meath handler Elliott is delighted to enjoy more success in the race:
"I was worried about the ground with this lad. I thought it was too dry for him and I was umming and ahhing about whether to run him, but Simon flew over from Nice this morning and Anthony Bromley came over, and it was brilliant, unbelievable.
"He was sent over to us by Simon and Isaac and the plan was to go for good, big staying chases. I fancied him in the Paddy Power last year, but I'd say he hadn't filled into himself after coming from France and maybe I ran him a bit soon.
"But that was great he won today, and he'll be a nice horse for all those staying chases.
"It's been a lucky race for us, and it's nice to win another Galway Plate. We thought he was our leading contender all along - he was paper favourite this morning, but obviously drifted a bit with the ground."
Elliott added that Borice could now be targetted for next year's Aintree Grand National.
"We'll enjoy today and dream about it, but that was what he was sent to me for - to be an English National horse.
"We said if we were going to run him, we'd run him in a good staying chase. I wasn't going to run him in a 20-grand race, it would have to be a 100-grand race plus, and thankfully it worked out."
