ADVISED MONDAY AFTERNOON 29th JULY
Racecourse & Time
Galway – 17:55
Advised Stake & Bet Type
1/2 Point Each Way
Name of Horse to Back
Convara
Current Odds:
10/1 generally, look for bookie paying 5 places, use BOG bookies
Compare odds at http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Selection Reasoning:
Convara has been running consistently well since a return win at Down Royal in a maiden hurdle. Trainer Andy Slattery has kept this horse to the flat since his maiden hurdle win protecting his mark of 107. On the flat he ran very well at Ballinrobe last week just failing to catch the leader Itsalonglongroad over a mile and a half. Good ground is important to this horse and he has got his ground today with Darragh O’Keeffe keeping the ride having ridden him to win in the aforementioned maiden hurdle. This five year old is lightly raced and having only his fifth hurdle run. He will be ridden up near the front and could take catching up the long Galway hill.
Racecourse & Time
Galway – 17:55
Advised Stake & Bet Type
1/2 Point Each Way
Name of Horse to Back
Morning Skye
Current Odds:
12/1 Betvictor, Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook, all 5 places, use BOG bookies
Compare odds at http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Selection Reasoning:
Denis Hogan trained the winner and third last year and returns with four runners this year. Of the four it is Morning Skye in first time blinkers that warrants closer inspection. He was purchased for a tidy 34k out of the Hugo Palmer yard having reached a rating of 81 on the flat. In Ireland he has raced only in maiden hurdles and was a tad unlucky not to win one at Killarney in May when getting the final flight all wrong. This stiff two miles half a furlong will suit as he will get further in time having won over 1m4f on the flat. An initial handicap mark of 109 looks very good and so long as he can handle the course and big field he looks well treated with his trainer doing the steering.
Racecourse & Time
Galway – 19:40
Advised Stake & Bet Type
1/2 Point Each Way
Name of Horse to Back
Legal Spin
Current Odds:
8/1 generally, look for bookies paying 5 places, use BOG bookies
Compare odds at http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Selection Reasoning:
Willie Mullins has taken over the mantle of “King of Galway” from Dermot Weld and that looks set to continue this week. Willie has trained the winner of this valuable qualified riders only handicap for the past two years so it makes sense to get one of his runners onside. Patrick Mullins has gone close to winning this race the past two years finishing third and second respectively. Maybe Legal Spin can land him a victory if stepping forward from his close second at the Curragh over two miles on Derby weekend. The handicapper has raised him 3lbs to 87 which is fair and he should improve following that run which was his first run in nine months. A weight of 11-3 is ok and crucially he is well drawn in stall 7.
Racecourse & Time
Galway – 19:40
Advised Stake & Bet Type
1/2 Point Each Way
Name of Horse to Back
Act Of God
Current Odds:
28/1 Ladbrokes & William Hill both 5 places else 25/1 Coral, Betfred, 888sport & Totesport all 5 places, use BOG bookies
Compare odds at http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Selection Reasoning:
Act Of God is a massive price but worth taking a chance on trained by a training legend in Edward O’Grady. I liked his run two starts ago at Leopardstown when third placed to Royal Illusion. He travelled very well that day in behind the leaders and looked a big player when pulled out to see daylight. In a slowly run race he was unable to pick up the winner but wasn’t given a hard ride and I expect an improved running tonight. Barry O’Neill cannot do the weight of 10-8 but a cracking replacement in Lisa O’Neill has been booked who has ridden Cheltenham Festival winners for Gordon Elliott. Act Of God is well drawn in stall 3. has a low weight, top jockey and trainer so there are much worse 28/1 shots we could back. Oh, he is owned by Brian Comer, one of the Comer Brothers who hail from Galway and would cherish a win at their home track.
Racecourse & Time
Windsor – 19:50
Advised Stake & Bet Type
1/2 Point Each Way
Name of Horse to Back
Blue De Vega
Current Odds:
12/1 Coral, Ladbrokes, Bet365, Unibet, Betway & 888sport, use BOG bookies
Compare odds at http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Selection Reasoning:
A valuable sprint handicap for a monday evening with over 46k to the winner. There is a maximum field of 16 runners with a low to lowish draw important at Windsor. Ice Age and Belated Breath like to front run so this race could set up nicely for a closer and such a horse is Blue De Vega. He ran very well at Ascot in a heritage handicap when drawn wrong in the low numbers and his jockey switching him to the far side losing ground. He did well to finish 7th but it is his Epsom “Dash” run which proved this horse retains plenty of ability and looks dangerously well handicapped. He is dropped a few pounds to a rating of 89 having won last summer off a 4lb higher mark. A close third in the Epsom Dash proves he has plenty of speed and I think the step back up to 6 furlongs will suit this horse who likes to come over the top. The icing on the cake is the booking of Cieren Fallon taking a further 5lbs off his back so effectively Blue The Vega is racing from a lowly mark of 84! Cieren has rode two winners from five rides for Robert Cowell this season and looks to have a good chance of landing another winner later tonight.
**Next Update Monday Night 29th July ~19:00
As per usual you will be emailed as soon as new selections are updated online