GALWAY Faces at the races on Day 7 of The Festival HEALY RACINGPhoto Healy RacingGalway tips can be found here from an expert panel, including jockey Danny Mullins, trainer Ado McGuinness as well as pundits Don McClean and Emma Nagle. Editor Vincent Finegan has also served up his three best bets for the meeting. Below you can see the main races detailed, along with Galway trends and odds for the big two - the Galway Hurdle and Galway Plate.
Galway Races is a festival of colour, vibrancy and high-quality racing, it serves up a full seven days of racing, which means plenty of time to find winning bets at big prices. The healthy field sizes presents the perfect opportunity to place some each-way bets, accumulators and lucky 15s. See a list of free bets for the Galway Festival to place on your selections.
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Galway tips and predictions can be found below. Emma Nagle is joined by jockey Danny Mullins who gives insights in to the Willie Mullins contenders. Trainer Ado McGuinness, who has an excellent record at Galway is also part of the lineup and runs through his runners, while Broadcaster and journalist Donn McClean offers up his tips.
Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap, Monday 19:10
He has run at Galway eight times, he has won five times and finished 2nd three times, including when he was with Ken Condon and now he’s with Emmet Mullins. Last year he was unlucky not to emulate Busted Tycoon in winning three times at the festival. He won twice and was beaten a head by Brazil in the mile and a half handicap so he was unlucky.
He won this race last year, he’s higher in the ratings not than he was then but he only won by half a length in the end and he finished very strongly and you could argue that Teed Up had more in hand than the winning margin.
Caulfield Industrial Handicap, Tuesday 20:15
Trained by Thomas Coyle and rated 68, this could be thrown in here. It could be a good thing but it has one big problem - it's a slow starter and it's in a mile handicap. It's drawn 5 so it's got a perfect draw if it breaks. It has a Galway owner and they have been planning this. It was a fair horse when you go back a few years. Trained by Joseph O'Brien at one stage, it was 2nd in Galway when it was rated 78 and is 10lbs lower now. It has won three times and they ran it over the wrong trip last time.
Colm Quinn Mile Handicap, Tuesday 19:10
Erzindjan is a fascinating entry for Paddy Twomey who saddled two winners and a second from just four runners at last year's Galway Festival. Last seen in Ireland when trained by Dermot Weld for the Aga Khan, the imposing son of Lope De Vega won twice and ran well in Group company before moving to ply his trade in Dubai.
Back on Irish soil an opening mark of 106 is a bit of a guessing game but going straight into a race of this calibre (Colm Quinn Mile) on his first start for Twomey suggests he must be pleasing his trainer who is very skilled at placing his horses.
Tote Galway Plate, Wednesday 19:10
After coming so close to dining at the top table over hurdles, the seven-year-old is now rated 11lbs lower over the larger obstacles and could finally get his big day in the sun in the Galway Plate. Perhaps, a little out of his depth competing in Grade 1 chases through the spring, back in handicap company here with a nice racing weight there are plenty of positives.
After winning his beginners' chase in Thurles, the undulations of Galway shouldn’t be much of a worry. Jockey bookings will be interesting and if Jack Kennedy gets on board his price of 12/1 won’t last too long.
7.102m. 6f. 111yds. 22 Declared.Tote Galway Plate (H'cap S'chase) (Grade 3) of €270,000.00 4-y-o plus
1st - €162,000.00 2nd - €54,000.00 3rd - €27,000.00 4th - €13,500.00 5th - €8,100.00 6th - €5,400.00 Going - Good, Good to Yielding in places (National Hunt); Yielding (Flat). Fine
Formscan By John O'Riordan- The Harry Fry-trained IN EXCELSIS DEO can take one of the main prizes of the week back across the Irish Sea. Having been hampered by a faller four out, the gelding ran a remarkable race when staying on strongly to finish fifth in the Festival Plate at Cheltenham on his penultimate start. Following a recent confidence boosting win back at that same track, he should be a leading contender under Jonathan Burke. In addition to the latter, owner J.P. McManus also has another strong contender in the Gavin Cromwell-trained Perceval Legallois. A faller at the last when in with every chance in a Grade 3 handicap chase at Leopardstown in February, the seven-year-old was runner-up last time out. Lets Go Champ is very unexposed despite his obvious inexperience, while Mister Policeman has to be respected.
An extended handicap steeplechase for four years old and upwards that have run at least three times in steeplechases up to and including 21st July 2024Penalties - Winner of a steeplechase or steeplechases after calculation of the handicap shall carry any penalty or penalties which may be allotted by the Handicapper.
Galway Hurdle, Thursday 17:05
It’s fair to say Gorgeous Tom had a baptism of fire for Henry De Bromhead, bumping into the likes of Slade Steel and Caldwell Potter on his first two starts. The Champs Elysees six-year-old stood up to the test though, running consistently before eventually breaking his maiden in April.
He went to Punchestown on final start where he downed the flag of the Grade 1 performer Mistergif in good style. Nicer ground seems to bring out the best in him and a 9lb hike for that Punchestown win should not be his limit. A very straightforward horse, likely to be ridden handy, there should not be any hard luck stories.
5.052m. 11yds. 19 Declared.Guinness Galway H'dle H'cap (Grade 3) of €270,000.00 4-y-o plus
1st - €162,000.00 2nd - €54,000.00 3rd - €27,000.00 4th - €13,500.00 5th - €8,100.00 6th - €5,400.00 Going - Flat: Yielding. N.H.: Good, good to yielding in places CHANGED on the N.H. course after 5th race to 'Good'. Fine
Formscan By John O'Riordan- The Henry De Bromhead-trained GORGEOUS TOM looks nicely treated off 10-11 on his first venture into handicap company. A six-year-old son of Champs Elysees, the gelding acquitted himself quite well in some decent maidens over the winter, before opening his account at Naas in April. He subsequently ran what was arguably a career best when beating a solid yardstick at the Punchestown festival on his latest start. Daddy Long Legs disappointed at Tipperary recently but that run was too bad to be true. Better judged on his previous easy win at Punchestown, jockey bookings suggest he is the Mullins number one hope. Petrol Head cannot be discounted given his recent winning form although the eight-year-old may need to improve again in this competitive event.
An extended handicap hurdle for four years old and upwards that have run at least three times in hurdle races up to and including 21st July 2024Penalties - Winner of a hurdle race or hurdle races after calculation of the handicap shall carry any penalty or penalties which may be allotted by the Handicapper.
Guinness Handicap, Friday 18:35
Watching Derry Lad’s run in the Nifty 50 Handicap at Epsom on Oaks Day was painful for backers of Kevin Coleman’s charge. After being held up in rear, it took a long time for a gap to emerge before he switched out and flew home on the outside.
The Colm Quinn Mile is one option for connections, but being so high on the ballot they’re unlikely to get a run. He’s also in the Guinness Handicap on Friday over 12f, a trip he’s proven to stay. His running style will always make things difficult on a sharp track like Galway, but if the gaps emerge he has the ability to take advantage for his shrewd trainer.
McDonogh Capital Investments Handicap, 5.25 Saturday
Mathew Smith's runners have been knocking on the door all week at Galway and Napper Tandy could give the stable a winner here. The ex-Andrew Balding trained 6-year-old, who finished third over hurdles here earlier this week, will have his first Flat start for Smith in this contest. With several confirmed front-runners in this line up he should get a nice lead into the race and his proven stamina can play a vital role up the demanding finishing climb.
Kinlay Hostel Steeplechase, 2.55 Sunday
Hurricane Georgie finished best of these that competed in Wednesday's Tote Galway Plate over this course and distance and it is worth taking a chance that he can come out on top again despite being a few pounds wrong at the weights in this conditions event. Hurricane Georgie was hampered at the first fence on Wednesday and in the circumstances did well to finish a staying on seventh.
Once the entries are out for the 2024 Galway Races check here for tips from out, pundits Emma Nagle and Donn McClean will offer up their Galway tips. Trainer Ado McGuinness and jockey Danny Mullins will also be part of our preview team. Additionally, our form analysts offer daily Galway tips on our racecards two days before the race. You'll also find our nap of the day, today's tips, tomorrow's tips, and the daily lucky 15 which provide further guidance.
Our form analysts and tipsters study the formbook extensively. Their process includes evaluating previous form, ground conditions, statistics, trends, handicapping, trainer/jockey/course form, and various other factors. With all this effort, our tipsters aim to unearth the most valuable Galway races tips for your notebook.
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