Tony Martin
Tudor City | 7yo b g Yeats - She’s Our Mare
John Breslin
Form: NH 2582-2 F: 9423-5
He and Golden Spear will both go for the Galway Hurdle. They have been good servants and neither are over big, so they are better off running in a good race like this with a light weight on their back. Tudor City has been very unlucky not to win one of the big handicap hurdles and he had a nice run on the flat the last day at Leopardstown. He has come out of that race in good shape.
Black Corton and Byrony Frost add plenty of intrigue to the Galway Plate / Healy Racing
Golden Spear | 8yo ch g Kyllachy - Penmayne
John Breslin
Form: NH: 040/1-0 F: 6020
Golden Spear has a good record around Galway. I’ve been very happy with him and like Tudor City, he wouldn’t like the ground too fast or soft – just nice jumping ground is what they want. It’s some pot to go for and both horses have been running well. I have been happy with them and I am not sure yet who’ll ride them yet – we’ll make a call on that over the weekend.
Dot Love
Jack Hackett | 5yo b g Beat Hollow - Corskeagh Shadow
Sean Reilly
Form: NH: 2811-4
He’s a very nice horse. He won his point-to-point and followed that up when he won his bumper at Cork at Easter time. He just didn’t get home when we ran him in a maiden hurdle over three miles back at Cork on his most recent start in May. We were annoyed that we decided to run him that day, but he was fine afterwards and the plan is that he’ll go back hurdling in a few weeks’ time. In the meantime, he’ll go for the winners’ bumper at Galway. Decent ground will suit him.
Flindt | 4yo b g Most Improved - Aries Ballerina
Kieran Clarke
Form: NH: 153 F: 50274-
He is a great fun horse for his owners. He won his maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan and he ran very well when he finished third in what looked a hot novice hurdle at Ballinrobe, finishing in behind two smart horses. He ran well around Galway last year and he’ll go for the winners-of-one hurdle on the Monday and assuming he’s okay we’ll turn him out again for a flat handicap later in the week. He’s in great shape and he rarely runs a bad race. We know that he likes it around Galway and that is always a plus.
Bridge Native | 8yo b m Stowaway - Mosawat
Real Bandit Again Syndicate
Form: NH: 0-2462 F: 3-
She has been running well and there is a 80-123 handicap hurdle there for her. She is another who operates well around Galway – she likes to be handy and she jumps well. She was third on the flat at the track last October and she loves a stiff finish. She is one to keep an eye on.
Gotthenod | 5yo ch m Famous Name - Chase The Favourite
T J Ward
Form: NH: 602-213
She’s in great form, won her maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan and followed that up with a very good run in a mares’ hurdle at the same track. The fact that she handled Kibeggan suggests to me that she’ll be fine around Galway. She was second in three bumpers and we’ll see what mark she gets, but the good mares’ handicap hurdle (Wednesday) is what we are looking at for her. She’ll have other options as well.
Andy Slattery
Dare To Flare | 3yo ch g Dandy Man - Distinguish
Kevin Walsh
Form: 7443-51
He got his head in front at Fairyhouse the weekend before last and he’ll go for the three-year-old-only handicap on the Friday. He did it well the other day and has improved again since. I’ll also put him in the three-year-old handicap on the Monday night. He’s going the right way and I think he’ll appreciate the stiff finish at Galway.
Dedillon | 3yo b f Dylan Thomas - Cherry Falls
Sean Rushe
Form: 6-2
She ran a cracker at Fairyhouse behind a horse of Tim Doyle’s that has won again since and she’ll go for a seven-furlong maiden. She was green at Fairyhouse and hadn’t been on grass all year, so she will improve a lot for that run. I think she’ll enjoy the hill at Galway and I think she will go there with a big chance.
Rip Rocks Paddy Ok | 4yo b g Rip Van Winkle - Marula
Padraig Mullins
Form: NH: 596-21 F: 878-
He was a bit of a backword horse, that took a bit of time, but he has been improving with each start this season and won his maiden hurdle well at Cork last time out. It will be a big ask, but the plan is that he’ll go for the four-year-old winners’ hurdle on the Monday night. That is always a very good race but his owner would love to have a runner at Galway and he’ll go there and take his chance. He has come out of Cork in very good form and I am sure that he’ll give a good account of himself.
Silver Spear | 2yo gr f Clodovil - Sophie Germain
Delphi Six Syndicate
Unraced
She’s a very nice filly and I decided to start her off at Leopardstown on Thursday. She ran well and she should come on for that run. Initially we were going to wait and run her in the fillies’ maiden at Galway. We’ll see how she is this weekend. She is a half sister to Creggs Pipes, who obviously went so well around Galway.
Sors | 7yo b g Acclamation - Maid Of Alisa
Men Of Forty Eight Syndicate
Form: 8385250
He would appreciate any rain that comes and he goes for the 80 handicap on the Tuesday night. An ease in the ground would enhance his chances a lot. He is getting on a bit, but he shows us plenty at home and I think if he gets an ease in the ground, he’ll have a chance.
Sunset Nova | 3yo ch g Zebedee - Melodize
Men Of Forty Eight Syndicate
Form: 322321
He won his maiden over five at Navan and, while there would have to be a doubt about him getting the trip, he’ll go for the seven-furlong three-year-old-only handicap on the Monday night. I suppose five at Navan is a bit like six everywhere else and his owners are involved with the Tipperary Supporters Club and they have a function there that night, so it will suit that the horse runs then. He did it well at Navan and, as I said, it is debatable whether he’ll get the trip, but we’ll give it a go.
Bryony Frost
Black Corton | 8yo br g Laverock - Pour Le Meilleur
The Brooks Family & J Kyle
Form: 2P2221-
He gave me my first winner as a conditional and I am just so lucky to have had a horse like him in my career. He kickstarted my career and without him, Paul and his owners, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I have never ridden in the race or at Galway before but my brother has and I have heard a lot about it. I spoke to Ruby about Galway at Royal Ascot and he told me that they ride a lot tighter over there. I think that will suit my horse as he is so tough and if he jumps and travels the way he always does, who knows what will happen. I think he’ll appreciate the atmosphere and I know that everyone connected with the horse is really looking forward to it. He loves top of the ground, so hopefully he’ll get his conditions.
Black Corton and Byrony Frost add plenty of intrigue to the Galway Plate / Healy Racing
Harry Skelton
Azzuri | 7yo b g Azamour - Folly Lodge
The Blind Squirrels
Form: NH: 18401- F: 2224-
I rode in the Plate before and it was a massive buzz, and as festivals go, Galway is one of the biggest in the whole racing calendar. We’ve had this race in mind for Azzuri for a while. He jumps and travels and the one concern is whether he’ll get the trip as he likes to get on with things. His owners are from Ireland and they are raring to go and that is the thing about Galway, everyone wants to be a part of it.
There is massive prize money on offer and it’s not that often that you can race for that kind of money. Galway do a fantastic job looking after everyone and we are all really looking forward to it.
Johnny Burke
Sole Pretender | 5yo b g Gold Well - Cool Quest
M P Hogan
Form: 141211-1
He’s a lovely ride to pick up and he is a forward-going horse that jumps very slick and accurate and that is what you need in a Galway Hurdle. Norman Lee has done a fantastic job with the horse and though he is racing off a career-high mark, he has five wins from seven runs and comes into the race in great form. He has all the attributes that you need for a race like this and I am really looking forward to riding him.
I have very fond memories of Galway and one of my first big victories when I was riding for the Potts’ was a Galway Plate and I would love to win a Hurdle on this lad.
I am surprised that there are not more horses entered in the race, but it looks a very competitive renewal and Willie (Mullins) and Joseph (O’Brien) hold a very strong hand. But I wouldn’t swap my horse for anything else, and it’s great for Norman too as he trains just down the road from the track.
This horse has been one of the success stories of the season so far and I have a lot of confidence in him. I only rode him once on the racecourse and that was over two and a half, when he won at Ballinrobe. He gave me a great feel that day and he comes into the race in super form.