Friday 30 July

IRELAND’S EYE

Today sees the final day of Goodwood with two decent Group contests to close proceedings while it is Day 5 of the Galway Festival with an evening start. On a busy day there is afternoon action at Thirsk while later in the day there is a treble header of flat fixtures at Bath, Haydock and Newmarket. Over jumps the sole National Hunt card is at Bangor with Tony McCoy making a return following his success in the feature at the West of Ireland venue. Again we will put the microscope on Galway where an ex French import can land his first race for a leading National Hunt yard in a flat contest while there could be a local winner in the handicap chase on the card.

Though our nap failed to shine yesterday we did nevertheless bag four winners from seven contests with first choice Luttrell Lady (6/1) landing a handicap under Joseph O’Brien. In addition three other savers Beau Michael (9/2-4/1) landed a novice chase while Overturn (7-6/1) landed the days feature the Galway Hurdle for the raiding Donald McCain yard with another of our savers Slievedaragh (11-9/1) back in fourth. Earlier in the day the well backed Smart Striking (6 morn-5/2) duly landed a seven furlong handicap to give John Oxx his first winner of the week with our main selection Miss Eze (7/1) finishing a luckless and closing fourth from her poor draw.


Charles Byrnes yard are in great form at present and they have been doing well with recruits from other yards, including Alfa Beat (favourite in 6-15) and in the opener a 2m 2f qualified riders hc hurdle at 5-10 the Limerick handler will be fancied to land another course success with the ex Paul Flynn trained Kalellshan. This 7yo did land a handicap hurdle over the minimum trip here on Monday despite looking less than happy on the track under Davy Russell. In effect the son of Saddlers’ Hall is better off here having gone up ten pounds for that success under a fixed 6lb penalty and with ‘Corky’ Carroll taking off a valuable 5lbs and the step up in trip likely to suit he should rate the obvious selection. However he does have to carry a welter weight here (12-3) and is clearly best going left handed and a better option could be Covie Lad who was fancied to land a novice chase here yesterday but was pulled up earlier in proceedings. From the local Paul Gilligan yard the former point and 2m 4f maiden hurdle winner has not been the most consistent of sorts of late but on a return to hurdles off a fair mark and with trip/ground likely to suit the Mikey O’Connor ridden gelding can edge out the ‘jolly’ here whilst Quai Du Roi who finished well behind in the corresponding contest last year on soft would have claims on his close second to Mr Bones (ran well here when runner up in similar hc hurdle on Wednesday) at Bellewstown over two and a half miles.

John Oxx opened his account at the Festival yesterday and he can add to that success by taking the 7f maiden at 5-40 with the once raced King Of The Ring. Twelve days ago the 2yo shaped with promise when staying on to finish under seven lengths of the highly promising Pathfork with Robin Hood (winner of a similar maiden here on Monday evening in second). Though the son of Indesatchel was the outsider of the three stable runners that day he should improve considerably for that initial experience and from a good draw the Fran Berry ridden gelding can beat another once raced sort in John Murphys Hold The Aces who was a 25/1 chance when finishing a fine second over a mile in a Killarney maiden eighteen days ago.

Alfa Beat – a former point winner has really blossomed of late since joining the Charles Byrne yard and the 6yo is on the trail of a four timer for the yard and a hat trick of handicap chases when he lines up for the 2m 6f hc chase at Galway at 6-15 this evening. Though he has gone up some 18lbs for those two easy chase victories at Roscommon and Wexford over 3m and 3m 1f he must have strong claims of extending his winning sequence having recorded an equally facile win over hurdles on latest at Limerick on latest. Despite the obvious claims of the son of Environment Friend there could be better value in siding with the locally trained King Ali from the Paddy Kelly yard. A dual hurdle winner at this track over two and a half miles and three miles on vastly differing grounds in the past the 8yo could land his third chase victory here under his 7lb claimer having shown promise over an inadequate 2m 4f at Limerick earlier this month when staying on to take third behind Manhattan Boy in admittedly an average handicap. One who rates a saver is the Edward O’Grady trained Jack Finch a four time chase scorer who will be more at home over this trip than the 2m 1f at Killarney last time.

6-50 GALWAY – 1m 4f hc

With the Jessica Harrington yard in fine form it can pay to side with her progressive 3yo BOB LE BEAU here under the useful 3lb claimer Shane Foley. The lightly raced Big Bad Bob gelding just failed to land the hat trick of 10f wins in a Leopardstown handicap three weeks ago and with the step up in distance looking tailor made for him he can make the most of his inside draw here to beat the favourite Natural high and Laughing Boy.

7-25 GALWAY – 1m 4f maiden

Johnny Murtaghs return following a ban did not prove profitable at Goodwood yesterday but the Irish ace can make a triumphant return to Galway by landing favouritism here with the once raced FALCON FLIGHT Flight who made an encouraging debut at Navan last October and though runners from the O’Brien yard sometimes take a run to show their ‘true colours’ this fellow can ‘buck the trend/ by beating the obvious danger but slightly more exposed Raffaello Santi.

8-25 GALWAY – 1m 6f race

Five time French winner POINTILLISTE shaped reasonably well on his Irish debut behind Profound Beauty at Leopardstown over this trip and he should strip much fitter for this assignment and the Emmett McNamara (claims 3lbs) ridden 110 rated flat racer can record his first victory on Irish soil here on just his second start for the Noel Meade yard. Salute Him looks set to go off favourite but Tony Martins charge does have questions to answer over this trip and it could be the colourful Pat Brady’s Caesar’s Song who could pose the main threat.

ADVICE
BET 4pt win COVIE LAD 5-10 Galway
BET 2pt/1pt win (savers) QUIA DU ROI and KALELLSHAN 5-10 Galway
BET 5pt win KING OF THE RING 5-40 Galway
BET 2pt win (saver) HOLD THE ACES 5-40 Galway
BET 4pt win KING ALI 6-15 Galway
BET 3pt/2pt win (savers) JACK FINCH and KING ALFA 6-15 Galway
BET 4pt win BOB LE BEAU 6-50 Galway
BET 2pt/1pt win (savers) NATURAL HIGH and LAUGHING BOY 6-50 Galway
BET 4pt win FALCON FLIGHT 7-25 Galway
BET 2pt win (saver) RAFFAELLO SANTI 7-25 Galway
BET 5pt win (nap) POINTILLISTE 8-25 Galway
BET lay SALUTE HIM to win 6pt 8-25 Galway

 

Thursday 29 July

IRELAND’S EYE

The action just keeps on coming this week with Day 3 of Goodwood featuring the group 2 Goodwood Cup while in Ireland its Galway Hurdle day at the Festival on Day 4 where Dermot Weld attempts to add to his impressive tally. Elsewhere there is flat action at Nottingham while there is a jumps card this afternoon at Stratford and they are backed up by evening cards on the level at Musselburgh and Epsom. Once again our main focal point will be at Galway where the Weld yard are tipped to bag another brace today – including the feature while two former point to pointers look likely to fight out the finish of the opening novice chase.

Though we did suffer a few disappointments yesterday we did land three winners at at Galway in the shape of Ballyadam Brook (7/2 on the DAQ in morn-2/1) in the opening novice hurdle from our saver Final Day (9/4-2/1) while Dermot Welds Rock Critic (9/2-7/2) made a mockery of a handicap later in the day to record the middle leg of a treble for the yard. In addition saver Nobel Investment (12-10/1) landed a 2m 4f handicap hurdle but there was a touch of ‘what might have been’ as the indomitable Tony McCoy – a late sub narrowly landed the feature for Tom Taaffe at the expense of one of our main bets Themoonandsixpence (8-7/1) while three more of our choices Pozyc (3-5/2), Snap Alam (8 morn-6/1) and Barrow Island (5/2-7/4) all finished in the money.


The Weld yard will be expected to extend their winning sequence at Galway with Prince Eric in the opening 2m 6f novice chase at 1-50 but the 6yo who has been placed at the track in the past has not really done enough over the larger obstacles to get the vote here at the forecast odds. Instead we will pin our hopes on two ex point to pointers in Forjoetheplumber and Carsonstown Boy. The former showed promise ‘between the flags’ (without completing the course) before scoring at the first time of asking over hurdles over the minimum trip (soft) at Roscommon. In the interim the son of Corrouge has shown a decent level of form in 5 starts over fences on differing grounds and though he has failed to justify favouritism the last twice when losing out by short enough margins in Wexford (3m 1f) and Killarney (2m 5f) novices he can put his experience to good use here under capable 5lb claimer Patrick Mangan over a trip which should suit. In spite of those claims we will just give the vote however to Colin McBratneys 130 rated hurdler and maiden pointer Carsonstown Boy as the 6yo was rated superior to Jimmy Mangans charge over hurdles and will be suited by the prevailing fast ground here. However the son of Golden Tornado does come with some baggage however as the three time hurdle winner (all in Britain between 2m 5f and 3 miles) was most disappointing last time at Down Royal where he could only finish a modest third to the hitherto frustrating Dream Champion over two and a half miles. The application of first time blinkers can bring about the necessary improvement here and with ‘local boy’ Graham Lee in the plate he can open his account over fences at the fourth attempt.

Echo Bob failed to make the breakthrough over flights but Henry De Bromheads 6yo is shaping as a much better performer over fences and he is taken to land a competitive 2m 1f novice at Galway at 2-25 today under Andy Lynch. This Bob’s Return gelding made all to beat one of todays rivals Who’s Deal in comfortable and clear cut fashion over 2m on good to firm at Tramore earlier this year and though he has since had to settle for the runner up berths at Roscommon twice – including behind Tribes And Banner (re-opposes here on 6lbs worse terms) he can take the spoils at generous odds here with trip/ground suiting and in receipt of a few pounds from a couple of the top weights. This could be frenetic as there are plenty of likely front runners in the line up (including our selection) but the 6yo does not have to front run and he just gets the vote to beat the likely favourite Beau Michael who boasts placed form in a Group 3 novice chase but Ado McGuinness’s Limerick novice chase winning charge could be better suited by some cut in the ground despite the fact that he scored on good ground on the level last time.

3-00 GALWAY – 1m 1/2f hc

Young Joseph O’Brien has already tasted success at Ballybrit earlier in the week for his father Aidan and he may get another taste of success here with the well drawn LUTTRELL LADY who seemed to appreciate blinkers (usually wears cheekpieces) last time with a good victory in a Curragh handicap over 10f can defy a 7lb penalty here in an open handicap.

3-35 GALWAY – 7f fillies hc

Another keenly contested handicap and our two against the field are last time out winners Smart Striking and MISS EZE. The former ran out a comfortable victor on her fourth start in a Leopardstown 7f handicap in first time blinkers and remains unexposed and though the 3yo is well drawn in 16 we will give the nod to Paul Cashmans improving Miss Eze who can prove the first multiple winner of the week (won CD handicap here on Tuesday) – despite once again drawing ‘the short straw’ from an outside draw under a fixed 5lb penalty.

Sabrina Hartys improving mare Cooper’s Crest looks the obvious selection here to follow up her fine third in a Grade 3 hurdle at Tipperary and subsequent Limerick hurdle success but the 123 rated hurdler may just have to give best to Eoin Doyles St Devote here. Admittedly the bumper and hurdle winner has something to find with Cooper’s Crest on official ratings but time may tell that he had a tough task in giving weight away to two useful sorts in winner Otterstown Lady and Cabernet Sauvignon (ran well here in opener on Day 1) when failing to justify favouritism at Wexford last time and Paul Townends mount can beat the likely ‘hotpot’ at decent odds on the DAQ.

4-50 GALWAY – 2m Galway Hurdle

The seemingly unstoppable Dermot Weld last landed this Grade a contest with subsequent multiple Galway chase winner Ansar back earlier this decade and he can again ‘repeat the dose’ this year with the lightly raced NEW PHASE. Winner of a bumper, flat and two hurdles the 6yo has admittedly been somewhat disappointing on a few occasions this year but Andrew McNamaras mount can improve for his fair fourth placing to The Fonze (levels) who finished a fine fourth in yesterdays featured chase at limerick earlier this month and he can beat the talented English challenger Overturn and bottom weight Slievedaragh.

5-30 GALWAY – 1m 4f hc

FORCE OF HABIT won the opening hurdle on Day 1 of the Festival and though Dermot Welds blinkered 4yo looks sure to go off at prohibitive odds the 4yo still looks decently handicapped and the step up to this distance couple with a favourable draw makes him look difficult to oppose. Noel Meades Roll Over Rover could be suited by more ease in the ground but the 6yo rates the nest win/place alternative.

ADVICE
BET 4pt win CARSONSTOWN BOY 1-50 Galway
BET 3pt win (saver) FORJOETHEPLUMBER 1-50 Galway
BET 4pt win ECHO BOB 2-25 Galway
BET 2pt/1pt win (savers) BEAU MICHAEL and MISTER BISHOP 2-25 Galway
BET 3pt win LUTTRELL LADY 3-00 Galway
BET 3pt win MISS EZE 3-35 Galway
BET 2pt/1pt win (savers) SMART STRIKING and CAMIRA 3-35 Galway
BET 5pt win (nap) ST DEVOTE 4-10 Galway
BET 2pt win (saver) COOPER’S QUEST 4-10 Galway
BET 4pt win NEW PHASE 4-50 Galway
BET 2pt/1pt win (savers) OVERTURN and SLIEVEDARAGH 4-50 Galway
BET 4pt win FORCE OF HABIT 5-30 Galway
BET 1pt win/1pt place ROLL OVER ROVER 5-30 Galway

Wednesday 28 July

IRELAND’S EYE

Today sees a fascinating head-to-head between Canford Cliffs and last years winner Rip Van Winkle in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes on Day 2 of Glorious Goodwood while there is also afternoon flat action at Redcar. There is also evening flat fare at Sandown and Leicester while Gordon Elliott bids to follow up yesterdays Perth double at the Scottish venue this evening. However the Meath handler will be well represented at Galway also on Day 3 where the feature of the day and indeed the week is the Galway Plate.

We finally got off the mark at Galway on Tuesday – though our two winners were of the short priced variety. However ‘little apples’ can often be sweet as Universal Truth (9/4-13/8) beat our next best Drumfire (7/2) in the opening maiden hurdle while in the finale Parlour (11/10-4/5) make a winning debut and in the process give Dermot Weld a treble on the day. Our selection in one of the handicaps Abroad (14-12/1) filled the third berth while one of our savers The Lady Granuaile (16/1) finished one placing behind for the Pauline Gavin yard.

Racing kicks off at Ballybrit this evening with a fascinating 2m novice hurdle at 3-00 where all bar one of the 8 runners sampled success over hurdles last time. Gordon Elliott who is enjoying a fine run at present provides the market leader in the dual bumper and hurdle winner Final Day who went down by just over a length to the useful hurdler/chaser The Fonze at Limerick over todays trip before gaining an easy success over 2f further at Downpatrick over two weeks ago. Paul Carberrys mount must hold a leading chance but there are several dangers and these include Eddie Hartys Carrigmartin who landed a few wagers when making a fine winning return from a near 9 month absence to land a Ballinrobe maiden hurdle over two miles over a week ago. However the value could lie with Terence O’Briens Ballyadam Brook who followed up a somewhat luckless second placing behind the subsequent flat scorer Cyborg at Ballinrobe with two fine all the way successes in Sligo (2m 2f) and Killarney (2m 1f) hurdles with clear cut victories. Paul Townends mount jumped well last time and though the 6yo could have competition for the lead here with Jim Cullotys easy Roscommon scorer and has to give weight away to several of his rivals here he can continue his winning sequence at the possible expense of Final Day and Punchestown maiden hurdle winner Sandymount Lady.

Another fascinating renewal of the Galway Plate over 2m 6f at 5-25 today with two English challengers to add further spice to proceedings. Past stats indicate that unexposed types towards the end of the handicap hold an edge in this race and two that fit this profile are The Last Derby and Themoonandsixpence. The former is 2 from 5 over fences following wins at Kilbeggan and a valuable Ascot handicap last October when he sprung a 33/1 surprise over three miles. However he did fail to justify favouritism in a CD novice here last August where his jumping did not quite prove consistent enough when finishing third to Barna Boy. However the 6yo is well suited by going right handed and the ground/trip look ideal. Former point to point winners have a decent record in the centrepiece of the Galway Festival and four of the last 8 winners boast winning form ‘between the flags’. Armed with that statistic we will side with Willie Mullins unexposed chaser Themoonandsixpence who scored on his sole start in points at Loughrea in 2007 has landed a bumper and three hurdles in the interim and the son of Presenting has made a decent start to his chase career – landing a Wexford novice over 3m 1f in good style before getting well turned over by one of todays rivals Cuan Na Grai over an inadequate 2m 2f at Punchestown in April. With just two runs under his belt and with the trip to suit Paul Townend and the 7yo can break Willie Mullins ‘hoodoo ‘ in this race despite his lack of experience. A likely type at more generous odds is Phillip Rothwells Paco Boy who boasts a fine record over the track for Joe Crowley having landed two victories here over CD lat year.

Pat Smullen has already enjoyed a fine start to the Festival with a brace of winners for his guvnor Dermot Weld but the reigning Irish champion rider can land a winner for an outside yard by steering Joanna Morgans Snap Alam home in front in the extended mile handicap for 3yos at 6-35. A daughter of Alamshar she has improved for th application of cheekpieces in her last three starts and has bagged a couple of Ballinrobe 9f handicaps – beating the subsequent dual scorer The Silver Crown in the first of these in late May. Both wins came on firm and with the ground drying out she can land her third career success here off a 4lb higher mark despite the fact that she does not have the best of the draw in stall 4. Richard Faheys challenger Elmfield Giant will have his supporters having finally opened his account in a Newcastle mile handicap last time but it could be Michael Halfords Dundalk all weather winner The Lock Master who may prove the main danger despite proving no match for Ghetto Gospel over a similar trip last time.

3-35 GALWAY – 2m 4f hc hurdle

Eoin Doyles progressive hurdler KING HIGH was foiled of the three timer when just failing to give 24lbs to City Hustler at Gowran over an inadequate 2m over 5 weeks ago and though the 6yo is now 4lbs higher here the former Johnjo O’Neill trained gelding can return to winning ways here where Ikidunot and Nobel Investment look the main dangers.

4-10 GALWAY – 3m hc hurdle

In another open handicap solid cases can be made for Fairwood Bob, Sunwake and King Of Redfield but the advice is to side with James Nashs improving Your Busy who was foiled of the hat trick on yielding ground at Killarney last time over 2m 6f but the son of Anshan who has won over this trip at Bellewstown will be suited by better ground here and he can beat King Of Redfield and Sunwake here under Alan Crowe.

4-45 GALWAY – 1m 4f qualified riders maiden

The Dermot Weld band wagon will be expected to roll on here with the first time blinkered 6yo Endless Intrigue but the vote goes to Willie Mullins four year old Pozyc who has shown promise over lesser trips but the 2m 4f maiden hurdle winner can score here under Patrick Mullins.

6-00 GALWAY – 1m 1/2f hc

Wide open handicap and though Dermot Welds Rock Critic has no secrets from the handicapper the 5yo does boast a third placing over 10f here and he is just given the nod to beat CD winner Metal Madness.

ADVICE
BET 4pt win BALLYADAM BROOK 3-00 Galway
BET 2pt/1pt win (saver) FINAL DAY and SANDYMOUNT LADY 3-00 Galway
BET 5pt win (nap) KING HIGH 3-35 Galway
BET 1pt win (savers) IKIDUNOT and NOBEL INVESTMENT 3-35 Galway
BET 3pt win POZYC 4-10 Galway
BET 5pt win THEMOONANDSIXPENCE 5-25 Galway
BET 2pt win/1pt win (savers) THE LAST DERBY and PACO JACK 5-25 Galway
BET 3pt win ROCK CRITIC 5-25 Galway
BET 2pt win (saver)METAL MADNESS 5-25 Galway
BET 4pt win SNAP ALAM 6-00 Galway
BET 2pt win (saver) THE LOCK MASTER 6-00 Galway
BET 3pt win BARROW ISLAND 6-35 Galway