Irish Preview: Galway Festival

Anyone who is intent on being present for each day of Galway’s annual week-long spectacular is going to require an abundance of stamina, particularly if multiple trips to the Guinness tent are involved, so it is fitting that the Festival’s feature race is Wednesday’s Galway Plate – a handicap chase over two miles, six furlongs and 111 yards.

The fact that Clarcam caused a 33/1-surprise in last year’s renewal alludes to just how tough a betting heat this is, and we’re likely to see a maximum field of 22 runners for the seventh year running.

Clarcam was owned by the Gigginstown operation that has won each of the last three renewals of this race. They look set to be represented by four this year, including the second favourite at the time of writing, Mengli Khan. Admittedly, an official mark of 154 is no gift on his handicap debut, but he was a smart novice chaser last season, with his best effort coming when third in the JLT Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham, and he is one to consider with a recent spin on the Flat at Royal Ascot likely to have blown the cobwebs away.

Another Gigginstown contender to note is Barra, who was well on top and in the process of showing much-improved form when falling at the last in the Midlands National at Kilbeggan last time. A 4 lb higher mark should prove workable on that evidence, and she looks a leading player if suffering no ill effects from her recent tumble. Valseur Lido and A Toi Phil, on the other hand, bothseem to be on the decline and have plenty to prove on what they’ve been showing of late.

Like Gigginstown, J.P. McManus is an owner with a terrific record in the race, winning it three times this decade, and he looks set to be represented by five runners this time around, in the shape of Movewiththetimes, Regal Encore, Auvergnat, Modus and Coney Island. Of the five, it is the last-named who is the most popular in the betting at the time of writing.

Now an eight-year-old, Coney Island has never quite hit the heights he promised during a Grade 1-winning novice season in 2016-17, though he’s been lightly-raced since and has done most of his racing in graded company. However, like Mengli Khan, his opening handicap mark is no gift, and he may need a career-best effort to take this. Meanwhile, Auvergnat is top on Timeform’s weight-adjusted ratings, though he’s more exposed than some of these, and would need more to take this off his current mark.

The current favourite at the time of writing is the Gordon Elliott-trained Borice, who will arrive here fit having picked up two confidence-boosting wins over hurdles so far this summer. This is far tougher, but he remains relatively lightly raced for this yard since arriving from France, and it would be no surprise should he take another step forward here, with his prominence in the market suggesting that a big run is expected. Other market leaders to consider include Heron Heights, who produced a career best to win a valuable handicap from 6 lb lower at the Punchestown Festival (for second consecutive year) last time, and Snugsborough Benny, who is 16 lb higher than when winning over C&D at this meeting 12 months ago.

Armchair ride for @Dazjacob10 - @gelliott_racing’s Borice hoses up at @UttoxeterRaces to take his first win over hurdles in effortless style… pic.twitter.com/XguFKK7g3Q

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 7, 2019

Willie Mullins last won this race back in 2011 with Blazing Tempo, and his best chance this year looks to be Pylonthepressure, who was last seen pushing Peregrine Run all the way at Ballinrobe in May. Peregrine Run has since completed a five-timer at Cork, and while this is much tougher, he cannot be totally discounted in his current rich vein of form.

Finally, a small but select group of British-based entries features Azzuri, who was impressive when last seen winning a listed handicap at Ayr in April, and the admirable Black Corton, but in summary it could be worth siding with Borice, who will arrive here with plenty of confidence having picked up two wins over hurdles so far this summer, and his popularity in the market suggests a big run is expected for a yard that has won two of the last three renewals.

Thursday’s feature race is the Galway Hurdle, which has proven to be much kinder than the Galway Plate to punters in recent years, with four of the last five winners returning at 5/1 or shorter.

The race is the most valuable handicap hurdle of the entire season in Ireland, so it is no surprise that it invariably attracts some classy performers, with no finer example than last year, when Sharjah produced the best performance in the race since Overturn’s demolition in 2010 for the Willie Mullins team.

Mullins has won two of the last three renewals of this, also striking with Clondaw Warrior back in 2016, and he sends Sayo, Stratum, Shanning and Riven Light this time around. Shanning and Stratum are respected having won their most recent starts over hurdles, though his strongest chance looks to be Riven Light. The seven-year-old hasn’t jumped an obstacle in public since April 2017, but he recorded his second successive win in the BMW Mile at this meeting 12 months ago and will arrive here fit after a solid effort to finish sixth in the Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot last time.

The favourite at the time of writing is Band of Outlaws, who represents the same connections as the 2017 winner of this race, Tigris River. He proved at least as good as ever when chasing home Thomas Hobson in the Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary last time, and, very much the type to be seen to best effect in a well-run race with a big field—as he showed when winning the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival—this appeals as the obvious next step. Joining him in the line-up could be stablemate Gardens of Babylon, who enjoyed a productive four-year-old campaign but probably needs further than this now to fulfil his immense potential.

Surprisingly, Gordon Elliott is still seeking a first win in this race, but that could change with Chosen Mate, a useful novice hurdler last season who should be spot on after a recent pipe-opener on the Flat at Leopardstown. Tony Martin, on the other hand, won back-to-back renewals in 2014 and 2015, and he could be represented by both Golden Spear and Tudor City this time around, with the latter making most appeal. He was unlucky not to win when second on his most recent hurdling start at Killarney (lost all momentum with a mistake at the last) and remains of interest from only 3 lb higher.

Davids Charm enjoyed no luck in-running when ninth from 1 lb higher in this race last year, while others to note include Sole Pretender, who completed a hat-trick in good style at Ballinrobe in May, and the progressive Ejayteekay.

In summary, this looks a typically competitive renewal in which Willie Mullins holds a strong hand, but preference is for Band of Outlaws. Joseph O’Brien’s charge looks made for this sort of test, and still only 6 lb higher than when impressively winning the Fred Winter, he is taken to resume winning ways at the expense of Chosen Mate, with Tudor City and the selection’s stablemate Gardens of Babylon completing the shortlist.

Recommendations 

Back Borice in Wednesday's Galway Plate at 7/1

Back Band of Outlaws in Thursday's Galway Hurdle at 5/1