UK Horse Racing Tips: Galway

The Galway Hurdle is the major target for HMS SEAHORSE this week but he should be capable of picking up this prize before Thursday's big race. He is currently towards the head of the betting for the valuable handicap hurdle later in the week but needs a few to come out. The 132-rated Galileo gelding was third in Grade 1 company at Punchestown, albeit beaten a fair way, and had been a good fourth in the Boodles at Cheltenham prior to that. He made a big impression on the Flat last time when running away with a competitive handicap at the Curragh and comes here in fine form. He sets a fair standard for these novices to match. Gaoth Chuil gets a stone from him on her hurdling debut and could be the one to give him most to do. She had some solid bumper form. As Tears Go By won well on his hurdling debut at Sligo, when beating a 109 rated rival, and with improvement he's entitled to run well.
Prediction : 1st Hms Seahorse 2nd Gaoth Chuil 3rd As Tears Go By

A wide open looking contest and YOUNG FITZY may be able to bag another victory here. He was a course and distance winner last October and with his owners being local the festival was always going to figure high on his agenda this season. Having won on good and heavy he's ground versatile and he didn't run too badly in a hot rated novice contest when last seen at Cork in January. Darkened is another previous winner here and comes into the race in good form. He has been placed twice on the level since winning by a wide margin at Kilbeggan and could make a bold bid under top-weight. Delightfantastic also won by a wide margin on her most recent outing when scoring at Tipperary late last month. She got a 12lb hike for that victory but Harry Swan got a good tune out of her then and the pair command respect again.
Prediction : 1st Young Fitzy 2nd Darkened 3rd Delightfantastic

TIVERTON can get Dermot Weld off the mark for the week with his first runner. The Expert Eye colt went into the notebook when staying on nicely to finish second on his debut at the Curragh and that form got a significant boost last week. He went down by three-parts-of-a-length to Proud And Regal on his debut and that rival went on to claim the Group 3 Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown last Thursday in fine style. Aidan O'Brien has introduced some good ones at Galway in the past and Cairo could be a danger. The Quality Road colt is out of Listed winner Cuff, who is herself a full-sister to Gustav Klimt. Pivotal Trigger has run a couple of nice races to date and he looks place material.
Prediction : 1st Tiverton 2nd Cairo 3rd Pivotal Trigger

Willie Mullins is well represented as ever in this, with six runners, and FAROUT gets the vote in another very competitive renewal. He shaped nicely on his first run on the Flat for Mullins when fifth at Leopardstown in mid-May. The mile-and-a-half trip then looked on the short side but he was staying on well at the finish under tonight's pilot Jody Townend and this extra half mile looks like it should suit. The grey is a solid hurdler and the fact that he has winning course form over timber is a help. Patrick Mullins hasn't had much luck in this race but Echoes In Rain commands plenty of respect as she is a Grade 1 winning hurdler. She couldn't pick up the highly progressive Dame Rapide when sent to post a short price in a Curragh handicap in May but may have sharpened up from that run. A very wide draw isn't a help here and she can be a bit keen at times. Last year's winner Coltor has to be respected. He makes his first start since winning over timber at Downpatrick in March and ran a decent race off his current mark when fifth in the November Handicap last season. Lot of Joy is the dark horse in the field. She makes her first start for Mullins after campaigning in Sweden and it's hard to get a handle on her form. The handicapper probably hasn't taken too many chances giving her a rating of 92.
Prediction : 1st Farout 2nd Echoes In Rain 3rd Coltor

A chance is taken with dreadfully drawn (18), first-time blinkered ERISKAY, whose rating has fallen. A Navan juvenile maiden winner over six furlongs last August, she was unsuited by dropping to five at that venue recently but finished well and is 11lb lower than when chasing home Markaz Paname in the Madrid Handicap in March. Band Width met significant traffic trouble on his last run, when finishing full of running at Limerick and while he can turn form with winner Dairerin, has a wide draw in 17. Dairerin is 2lb well-in having run well on Wednesday but is 3lb worse off with the selection on Limerick form. Rockbury Lad met some trouble in-running at Limerick recently and while he needs to improve, looks progressive. Lady Arwen and Bells On Her Toes are proven at this level while Roscommon winner Girl Cursh is ground-versatile and interesting on handicap debut.
Prediction : 1st Eriskay 2nd Band Width 3rd Dairerin

COMMON PRACTICE is well-bred and should progress further at this distance. He had caught the eye on occasions over shorter distances prior to winning the Apprentice Derby at the Curragh and while 8lb higher, remains a little unexposed and is well drawn in 5. Your Eyes Only is out of a winning dam whose half-sister won at Group 1 level and left behind disappointing Auteuil and Fairyhouse form to win at Sligo. She is also open to improvement but faces a tougher task against more battle-hardened rivals. Irish Lullaby is 7lb higher than her Killarney win while Enthrallment, in first-time blinkers, has top weight but is proven in handicaps and is ridden by a good 5lb claimer. War Correspondent ran around when running well on handicap debut at Dundalk and runs in first-time cheekpieces. Hymn Book Two is ground-versatile and wasn't beaten too far on handicap debut at Roscommon.
Prediction : 1st Common Practice 2nd Your Eyes Only 3rd Irish Lullaby

Patrick Mullins sides with BUKHILL in a guessing game bumper. By a second-season sire with few runners, his dam, full-brother and half-brother all won bumpers and represents the top yard and whose bumper horses are flying. Stablemate The Twelve Pins is notable, being below Patrick Mullins' lowest Irish riding weight of 11 stone. All her siblings, including Nakayama Grand Jump winner Blackstairmountain, have won and Jody Townend claims 5lb. This Songisforyou's connections target Galway, with Derek O'Connor a notable booking. Withdrawn from a 2020 breeze-up sale, he makes a belated debut but is from a good American flat family (his dam is a half-sister to a Group 1 winner). Rocco Bay has form but looks vulnerable to smart types while Fiveonefive and Western Comandor (under an in-demand 7lb claimer) both ran well on respective debuts. Great Schema is largely flat bred while stablemate Six Ace, by Don Cossack's sire, is a half-brother to a bumper winner. Aide De Camp was well enough held in a Listed bumper in March.
Prediction : 1st Bukhill 2nd The Twelve Pins 3rd This Songisforyou