6.45 2m. 11yds. 19 Declared. Guinness Galway H'dle H'cap (Grade A) of €200,000.00 4-y-o plus
1st - €120,000.00 2nd - €40,000.00 3rd - €20,000.00 4th - €10,000.00 5th - €6,000.00 6th - €4,000.00
FormscanBy Michael Graham - ARAMON has a touch of class, as a former Grade One winner, which gives him prospects of defying top weight of 11-10 in this showpiece. The seven-year-old gelding has had a good 2020 which started with a fair fifth in the Grade 1 Irish Champion Hurdle, behind the unbeaten queen of National Hunt racing Honeysuckle. He then carried a big weight to second in the Grade 3 County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, before landing the Grade 3 Grimes Hurdle under 12 stone in Tipperary last month. He gave the favourite Petit Mouchoir 11lb and a two-length beating which was a particularly notable performance. The latter comes back for more, but is worse off at the weights. Felix Desjy enjoyed a hack canter around Navan in a qualified riders' maiden to leave him spot on for this. He won a Grade One novices' hurdle at Aintree last year, before coming second in the Grade One novice hurdle at Punchestown. He has strong credentials and, indeed, won his maiden hurdle in Ballybrit. He is given maximum respect. Aramax is improving at a rate of knots and is very lightly raced. He is a half brother to Aramon, and was a ready winner of the Grade 3 Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at this year's Cheltenham Festival. He should plunder plenty more prizes.
An extended handicap hurdle for four years old and upwards that have run at least three times in hurdle races up to and including 19th July 2020Weights - Top weight in the original handicap and after the time of declaration shall not be less than 11st 10lbs and the minimum weight is 9st 12lbsPenalties - 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.