Hi all,
It’s the start of six days at the Galway Festival with Goodwood joining the party tomorrow. Goodwood had 30mm of rain yesterday turning the going from good to good to soft. There could be more showers at the Sussex track today. However, the forecast for the rest of the week is more promising with plenty of dry weather and just the odd shower.
Galway have been doing plenty of watering in anticipation of its big meeting of the year. The meeting will begin on good ground but more rain is forecast for the rest of the week so you can expect the ground to ease.
A busy six days begins with a few selections from Galway.
Galway
4:40 – Claytonhotelgalway.ie Handicap – 7f
Mother Country won a Naas mile maiden last time and looks on a workable mark for her handicap debut. She’s open to more improvement and has a handy draw in stall 4.
Li Mu Bai a winner at Fairyhouse last time is another open to more progress. He needed all the 7f to prevail last time so this stiffer track should suit.
Rock Etoile hasn’t been seen on the track since finishing a 2 ¾ length 2nd of 16 to Visualisation at Gowran Park 109-days ago. The winner has improved to win again and finished runner-up in a valuable handicap at Royal Ascot. The drop back to 7f looks a positive and the gelding should go well despite stall 14.
Sir Sedric is better drawn in stall 5 and put in a career best on RPR’s when a 1 length 3rd of 11 at Dundalk 14-days ago. He was finishing his race off strongly last time and if he can translate that improved form to turf has to have claims.
1pt win – Rock Etoile – 15/2 @ Bet365
1pt win – Sir Sedric – 12/1 @ Bet365
5:15 – Galwaybayhotel.com & Galmont.com Handicap – 7f
Just ½ length separated Royal Pippen & High Altitude when the pair finished 4th and 5th respectively in a mile handicap at Killarney 13-days ago. The former will have gone into plenty of trackers given he wasn’t ideally placed and made his effort out wide. Seamie Hefferman takes over from a 10lb apprentice. High Altitude gets 2lb from his old rival here and Dylan Browne McMonagle also takes off a handy 3lb. There should be much between the pair again here.
1pt win – Royal Pippen – 7/1 @ Bet365
1pt each way – High Altitude – 14/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes (both paying 4 places 1/5 odds)
6:15 – Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap – 2m 1f
Run For Mary wasa ¼ length 2nd of 20 to Princess Zoe in this race last year. The mare can race off the same mark this time around and must be high on the shortlist after making a winning seasonal return at Limerick last month. Gets the first time cheekpieces and if the headgear has the desired effect, she must have a decent chance of going one better. That said stall 21 won’t be easy to overcome.
Litterale Ci was a 2 ½ length 3rd of 20 in the race in 2019. She doesn’t come into the race in much form but is 5lb lower than two years ago and get the addition of the first time cheekpieces.
Dermot Weld and Willie Mullins have won this six times between them since 2008. The former saddles the unexposed Colter who races in the reapplied visor and first-time tongue tie after a disappointing return to the flat at the Curragh (7/2) in May. He races off a mark of 83 here and remains open to improvement.
Zoffanien a 143 rated juvenile hurdler is having his first start on the flat since leaving France. He finished 4th of 9 in the Grade 1 Juvenile Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival last time. If he can translate his hurdles improvement to the level, he would be a well handicapped horse. Stall 18 isn’t the best but he’s high on the shortlist.
Mullins saddles six of the twenty runners. Patrick Mullins opts for useful hurdler Hook Up that could be significant and she’s open to more progress on the flat
Exchange Rate won a maiden here at the 2017 festival and was only beaten 1 ½ lengths into second in the 2018 November Handicap at Naas. The 9-year-old returned from a 945-day break to finish 4th of 9 to stablemate My Sister Sarah at Listowel 50-days ago. Entitled to come on for that run and is nicely handicapped on his best form. Jockey Jodie Townend won this in 2019 for the yard.
My Sister Sarah a 141 rated hurdler has been raised 10lb for her Listowel win but remains on a competitive mark compared to hurdles mark. A good stamina test will suit her and Jamie Codd is in the saddle.
Verdict: It’s hard to look beyond the Mullins contingent with My Sister Sarah just edging it for me. Zoffanien could be worth a saver despite his despite a wide draw.
1pt win – My Sister Sarah – 15/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
1pt win – Zoffanien – 8/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
6:45 – Eventus Handicap – 1m 4 ½ f
The Aidan O’Brien trained 3-year-old National Ballet improved for the step up to 1m 4f when making a winning handicap debut at Limerick. The handicapper has taken a dim view of that success by raising the colt 12lb but he’s only had four starts and likely capable of more improvement.
Top-weight Port Sunlight put in a career best when runner-up at Ballinrobe last month. Up 3lb but is another capable of better.
Razdan wasn’t the best away and in the circumstances did well to get within a head of the winner at Ballinrobe over an extended 1m 1 ½ f last week. Up 3lb but remain on a competitive mark. Up in trip here but if his stamina holds won’t be far away.
Earl Of Tyrone was set too much to do when a ½ length 2nd of 6 at Killarney 12-days ago. The hood he wore last time is retained and although he remains a seven-race maiden isn’t out of this from stall 1.
1pt win – Port Sunlight – 6/1 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power
1pt win – Earl Of Tyrone – 6/1 @ Bet365 & Ladbrokes
Cheers
John