UK Horse Racing Tips: Galway

HUBRISKO was second in a hot maiden here in July. A half-brother to his trainer's Grand Bornand and winner of a 2020 flat maiden at Angers, the capable third and fifth-placed horses from July won subsequently. On a strict line through seventh-placed Hashtag Pretender, he has plenty in hand over The Last Mardi whom finished behind Hashtag Pretender subsequently at Killarney, albeit The Last Mardi shaped as though he would improve significantly jumping-wise. John Cannon was frustrating to follow last season but has plenty experience while Royal Romeo needs to improve to win. Fennor Cross is a progressive four-time flat winner who should win races over jumps but makes his hurdling debut against experienced rivals. Four year old Bynx reappears following a break and has plenty on her plate.
Prediction : 1st Hubrisko 2nd The Last Mardi 3rd John Cannon

JUST JACOB can continue to improve his rating being still somewhat unexposed, aged four. Well held in a useful Ballinrobe handicap, the winner subsequently landed Friday's Ulster Cesarewitch and today's jockey claims 5lb. Hat-trick seeking Montel Glory faces a tougher task, from 10lb higher, than when winning at Downpatrick while three-time winner Willyouwalkwithme steps up in grade from Sligo but is suited by summer ground and this distance. Bonnie Kelly had handicap form last season and while she reappears, will be suited by an easing in the ground. Platinumcard was rated 100 on the flat and while a hurdles winner at Ayr in April, has recently disappointed. Indie Belle reappears over an inadequate distance while Malinas Glory and Abstract, unplaced at Wexford on Saturday, both face tough tasks on respective handicaps debuts. Mephisto needs to improve while long absent The Chapel Field is rated 17lb higher over fences but disappointed in recent hurdles.
Prediction : 1st Just Jacob 2nd Montel Glory 3rd Willyouwalkwithme

THE SHUNTER had what is kindly described as a confidence boosting run on the flat last month and is suited by race conditions, ground and trip. A Cheltenham festival winner, he was well held in July's Galway Plate but is top adjusted-rated runner and showed his old ability at Killarney. The Very Man was well held in hot handicaps hurdles in recent runs but won in January and ran well on the flat at Tramore recently. Champion Hurdle-third Darver Star is suited by this distance nowadays but gives away weight. Happy Jacky is suited by race conditions but might struggle to win. Shewearsitwell's recent form has been in-and-out but could be better suited to this distance than when pulling up in the Galway Hurdle. Discordantly received 9lb when finishing ahead of the selection in the Galway Plate and while today's rider claims 7lb, he received early reminders before falling at Killarney and has his first hurdles run since May 2019.
Prediction : 1st The Shunter 2nd The Very Man 3rd Darver Star

ROPED IN is generally a consistent sort in this grade. She wasn't beaten far in her last couple of handicap hurdles over further and, crucially, enjoys cut in the ground as there is plenty of rain forecast for Galway. When she was last seen in Wexford, she came in fourth and the horse a place behind her has since obliged in Down Royal. She holds an each-way chance. Presenting Point's hurdle rating is 17lb lower than his chase mark, so his chance has to be respected. He has been off since June and is clearly better over fences (all three victories came in that sphere), but he can get involved. Beechroad Winnie put in a good performance to get up for second in Tramore. She had a subsequent maiden hurdle winner behind her. She wouldn't welcome too much rain, though. Downpatrick winner Townhill Penny is another to consider.
Prediction : 1st Roped In 2nd Presenting Point 3rd Beechroad Winnie

IT'SALEADER could make her mark in her first venture into handicap company. She didn't run badly in fourth in a mares' maiden hurdle over a similar trip at Ballinrobe, and the third home was good enough to win at Wexford on Saturday. A victory in a staying handicap chase at Kilbeggan could reinvigorate Crimson Chief as he reverts back to the smaller obstacles. Sweet Will could be freshened up after being off since June. He won a handicap chase and a handicap hurdle in March and April respectively. He wasn't at his best when last seen at Down Royal, but could bounce back.
Prediction : 1st Itsaleader 2nd Crimson Chief 3rd Sweet Will

HALLOWED STAR has to be taken very seriously on chasing debut. He enjoys his trips to Ballybrit with two victories accrued here and he absolutely routed the field in a valuable Grade B handicap hurdle at the festival in July. The rain will play to his strengths. Indigo Breeze has had a race over fences when he fell in Limerick. He departed at the penultimate fence when racing second at the time, and it is worth noting that the winner has since followed up by 11 lengths in Killarney. Peter Fahey's Sit Down Lucy is another arriving on the back of a victory in a valuable handicap hurdle at the Galway Festival. His stable is in red-hot form and this eight-year-old gets the mares' allowance, and adds further spice to the mix on her chasing debut.
Prediction : 1st Hallowed Star 2nd Indigo Breeze 3rd Sit Down Lucy

DRUMCLIFF was a useful sort for Harry Fry, winning four times including a valuable 2m4f handicap chase under Aine O'Connor at Uttoxeter off a mark of 139. The Presenting gelding has obviously been difficult to train in recent years and was reappearing after a break of nearly 17 months when staying on nicely into fourth behind Rock Road over hurdles at the Festival meeting here in July. He should progress from that run and is certainly off a reasonable mark. JP McManus is also represented by Goodnightngodbless and Mark Walsh's mount is a consistent sort in this grade. Malina Girl has filled the runner-up spot on her latest three outings, while Cluan Dara is still on a basement mark after beating stablemate Father Jed, well beaten at Wexford on Saturday, at Limerick last time.
Prediction : 1st Drumcliff 2nd Malina Girl 3rd Goodnightngodbless

The market should prove a good guide to the prospects of COASTGUARD LADY, who is a daughter of Coastal Path and out of a hurdle winner in France. The Willie Mullins-trained filly certainly wouldn't need to be anything out of the ordinary to take a hand. C'est Rien may prove the pick of those with previous experience. Her saddle slipped when pulled up over hurdles at Clonmel before a promising third to the selection's stablemate Carrigmoorna Queen in a bumper here at the Festival meeting in July. Google De L'ecu was placed on debut at Sligo the same month and looks capable of winning a modest bumper, while Russellsbelle took a good step forward from her debut at Killarney when beating all bar Lodilomoco at Wexford last month.
Prediction : 1st Coastguard Lady 2nd Cest Rien 3rd Russellsbelle