Yep, we did it again this year but believe me when I say it will be my last full week at Galway for a while! They all say that I hear you say until the pain is wiped from the short term memory and only the good memories are saved!
A colleague of mine completed his first Iron Man in Bolton last weekend finishing in a very respectable 12 hours and 20 minutes. A very good time indeed for a lad that swims like an elephant!
Well, I completed my own Iron Man competition of sort at the Galway Races. The swimming section was up second at Galway arriving on the Wednesday and Thursday and man did it rain. There was even a mention of the races being cancelled. In reality the weather was nothing like what the hardy followers of racing at Navan in December or January endure.
It did play havoc with all those expensive dresses especially purchased for ladies day. I have to say fair dues to anyone who went racing on Galway Hurdle day and that covers over 20,000 heads. I really enjoyed the day especially as the racing club I am a member of had a runner in the big race called Pique Sous. Unfortunately, he loves top of the ground so not his day.
It was a massive training performance by Michael Winters to win back to back Galway Hurdle races. He won last year with Rebel Fitz and this year his tough mare Missunited won easily in the end.
Michael has around twenty horses in training so he is swimming against the tide taking on the larger number based trainers like Willie Mullins, Dermot Weld, Gordon Elliott, Dessie Hughes etc. Horse racing loves an underdog winning and Michael Winters is brilliant for the sport especially as he is such a character.
Dermot Weld had his usual dozen of winners but the other trainer to really put his hand up this week was Tony Martin. Since sorting out some teething issues at this newly built stables and gallops over two years ago he has hit a new level. Bog Warrior was a sign that he could train a good one, then Dedigout followed by Benefficient & Ted Veale at this year’s Cheltenham Festival.
He had a Galway festival to dream of with eight winners including the five year old mare Busted Tycoon who won three times over the week festival. Tony has his string in rude health and you must sit up and take notice whenever he has a runner in a valuable race. Interestingly, he mentioned that Ted Veale who travelled like the winner of the Galway hurdle for a long way might turn up next on the level in the Ebor handicap at York! Would you bet against a Tony Martin horse winning a valuable handicap?
Personally, I did well enough at Galway with a couple of winners at Goodwood keeping us ahead of the bookies. It was a week at Galway to back the favourites with over 50% winning and the bookies enduring a pasting along with getting wet. The favourite backers deserve a few days in the sun every now and again. For me seven days of burning the candle at both ends is just too much. Next year I will leave the Galway Races Iron Man to the more able and just take in the Galway Plate and Hurdle races trackside.
Eye Catchers up to and including Monday 5th August
Caspar Netscher – Trainer David Simcock – Jockey Shane Kelly
A very big effort from this horse who was having his first run since returning from a failed stint at Stallion duties. He ran very free pulling hard but almost won the Group 2 Lennox Stakes. He is rated at 116 and it looks like he retains all of his old ability. With the freshness has gone he can keep some petrol to finish off his races better.
Redera – Trainer Tony Martin – Jockey – Miss M O’Sullivan
Redera finish a close 3rd to stable mate Edeymi in the qualified rider’s handicap worth 70k at Galway on the Monday night. He was very unlucky as the door was shut on him as he tried to run between the first two home. If the gap had of remained Redera would have won in my opinion. This was a very good run considering this horse would be better suited on a flat track and better ground. He turned out again on the Thursday in the Galway Hurdle but the ground was soft and he had no chance. A rating of 133 over hurdles is workable and he has a valuable handicap in him when conditions are suitable.
Marty’s Magic – Trainer Dermot Weld – Jockey Robbie McNamara
There was huge word for this horse at Galway for his debut in the bumper on Monday night. He ran very well against experienced sorts coming in second in a tough all out finish. Willie Mullins trained the winner and likes him whilst the third home Top of the Ra won a bumper at Galway on the Sunday by six lengths. Marty’s Magic can win an easier bumper next time out following this excellent debut.
Union Dues – Trainer Willie Mullins – Jockey Patrick Mullins
I have liked this horse since seeing him win a good bumper at Navan in December of last year. Patrick rode him subsequently in the Cheltenham Festival bumper but he ran way too free failing to last home. He has loads of gears and showed his class in this race over 1m4f giving weight to all opponents. His class can see him follow up in staying flat handicaps before going back to national hunt racing. He is a very good improving young horse.
Blackmail – Trainer Tony Martin – Jockey Ruby Walsh
Tony Martin has always being bullish about this horse and rightly so. He finished fourth in a good bumper behind The Liquidator at the Punchestown Festival this year following an ok effort at Cheltenham where he boiled over. At Galway in a maiden hurdle he won on the bridle jumping slickly like a good thing. Tony said in his post-race interview “You’d like he’s a horse that’ll be going to Cheltenham again next March”.
Laganbank – Trainer Willie Mullins – Jockey David Casey
I had this lad backed ante post for the Galway Plate so kept a very close eye on him during the race. He is a fine big chasing type who jumped super and travelled very well until tiring over the final fence in the dip. It was a very good run on ground that would have been on the soft side for him. He beat no less than Alderwood at Listowel in a hurdle race last year and can go close on better ground in the Kerry National. A warning though is that his rating of 140 is quite high.
Excess Knowledge – Trainer John Gosden – Jockey William Buick
A lot of blame was heaped on Jockey William Buicks shoulders for not winning this race and indeed the horse did finish very well. However, in my opinion the horse just did not handle the track at all and made his own problems. Buick asked him to pick up and go and take a position when a gap appeared around the two furlong pole but was too slow to take it. He had to be switched wide as a result and took a while to get organised with the honest Buick mentioning that he lost hold of a rein at a crucial stage when he was gaining momentum. All in all he ran a great Leger trial but the bookies are taken no chances cutting him to 7/1 for the Leger.
Fantasy King – Trainer Charles O’Brien – Jockey – Andrew McNamara
This horse rated 80 on the level ran a very nice race on his hurdling debut at Cork last Monday. He jumped well and made eye catching ground coming into the straight travelling well. His run emptied out up the long three furlong straight at Cork but he did stay on to finish fourth. I have no doubt he can win a maiden hurdle on good or better ground.
Jembatt – Michael Mulvany – Jockey Wayne Lordan
Jembatt finished with petrol in the tank at Naas last Monday in a 7 furlong handicap. His jockey looked for a run up the rail but it never happened and he had to be pulled back a couple of times with nowhere to go. He was unlucky but proved here he is on a winning mark esp. as the handicapper has generously dropped him another two pounds for this run. Keep an eye on him over 7 to 8 furlongs with a little give in the ground.
Nurse Ryan – Trainer Martin Hassett – Jockey Sean Hassett
Nurse Ryan will be winning soon if his fast finish at Cork in a handicap hurdle is anything to go by. She powered home very fast just failing to get to the winner. Two miles is her trip on reasonably good ground. It will be interesting to see where she lines up next.
Domination – Trainer Charles Byrnes – Jockey Rob Jones
This horse has run three very good races in succession improving all the time. He loves fast ground esp. with the word firm in it. Having finished second in a valuable handicap at Galway he followed up over three miles in a conditions hurdle at Cork easily. His jumping was very good and he has a turn of foot at the end of his races. He can climb the hurdling ranks so long as the ground stays on the hard side.
Best of Luck,
Nicky
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