2.10 Guinness Beginners Chase 2m6½ f
Fakiera could be tough to beat. He was a classy novice hurdler, notably finishing fourth in a Grade 1 contest over this sort of distance at the Dublin Racing Festival. He never got going on his chasing debut last November and then missed the rest of the campaign before coming back in May and finishing second to Il Courra at Limerick. He should strip fitter now and could be too good for these.
Chinx Of Light is also noted, having finished a head second at Kilbeggan on his penultimate start and he also has a course win to his CV, which is a big positive.
SELECTION: FAKIERA
Next best: Chinx Of Light
2.45 Guinness Open Gate Brewery Novice Chase (Grade 3) 2m2f
Sole Pretender is the best of these over hurdles and he showed his class on his previous run when finding only the talented mare Santa Rossa too good in a Grade 3 contest at Tipperary. Prior to that he won both his only two chase starts in comfortable fashion. He ran reasonably well in the Galway Hurdle last season so the track should pose no problems.
Visionarian has always appealed as a potentially good horse and it was good to see him return to winning ways at Wexford last time out, his first ever run over fences. The ground and trip should suit him and receives a little bit of weight off the main contenders so shouldn’t be discounted.
SELECTION: SOLE PRETENDER
Next best: Visionarian
3.20 Rockshore Handicap 1m½f
Course and distance winner Dedillon makes plenty of appeal from a low draw. Andy Slattery’s mare has won and finished third from four starts at Galway and she has been running well lately, notably finishing just a length off Colm Quinn Mile winner Magic Chegaga at Limerick. She can go well from stall two.
Sherkin Island is another to consider from a reasonable draw in six. She won her maiden at this course last season and she has relatively few miles on the clock, having run just three times since. Her comeback run came in a competitive handicap on Irish Derby weekend, where she ran well enough behind Fastnet Crown. She should come on from that now.
SELECTION: DEDILLON
Next best: Sherkin Island
3.55 Arthur Guinness Irish EBF Corrib Fillies Stakes (Listed) 7f
Nectaris can continue the hot form of Jessica Harrington’s team. She has progressed nicely on her previous three starts, beating Juncture in a good Curragh fillies' handicap before finishing fourth in a Longchamp listed contest and then second in a Fairyhouse Group 3 - just a nose away from Marbling on that occasion. She likes to dominate from the front, so a draw of stall one is perfect and she could be hard to peg back.
Surrounding finished third in that Fairyhouse race. She is a previous winner but unlike when she has come back here to try and win this title again, she doesn’t have to carry a penalty on this occasion. She is a nine-year-old now, but she remains competitive at thai level and is another with a good draw in stall four.
SELECTION: NECTARIS
Next best: Surrounding
4.30 Guinness Novice Hurdle 2m4f
Falcon Eight is an intriguing runner, coming into this after finishing a close fourth to Stratum in the Queen Alexandra. He also has good hurdles form to his name, having finished third to Bronn in a Fairyhouse Grade 2. He should go well but it wouldn’t be a surprise if Hors Piste was good enough to beat him. She has solid hurdles form herself, having finished third to Brandy Love in the Grade 1 Novice Mares’ Final at Fairyhouse and she was a comprehensive winner at Kilbeggan last time out.
SELECTION: HORS PISTE
Next best: Falcon Eight
5.05 Guinness Galway Hurdle Handicap (Grade A) 2m
Needless to say, Willie Mullins again looks the trainer to concentrate on with his team going for a fifth win in seven years. Adamantly Chosen will be the main focus for many with Paul Townend booked but a couple of others from Closutton make more value appeal. Farout ran really well here in the Connacht Hotel Handicap on Monday evening, possibly hitting the front too early and then just getting tired late on. Two miles and a furlong on the flat probably stretched his stamina in any case and it’s interesting that he is allowed to run again. He is a course-and-distance winner from last season and has shown from his winter form that he can be competitive off a mark of 140.
Heia is the other Mullins runner who could outrun her odds. She was a close third to Glan in the Rybo Handicap Hurdle at Fairyhouse and that represents strong handicap hurdle form. Since then, she finished second to the useful Anna Bunina in a listed contest at Killarney and then bolted up in a novice hurdle at Punchestown. A mark of 134 could underestimate her ability, not regarding the scope she has to improve again.
SELECTION: FAROUT
Next best: Heia
5.40 Guinness 0.0% Handicap 1m4f
Darkened has a wide draw to contend with but he showed his liking for this track with another tough performance to win over hurdles on Monday. That continued a really good run of form he has put together, which includes a couple of placed efforts on the flat. His flat mark of 66 remains stagnant after his hurdles win and he can take advantage of that.
Rock On Pedro sprung a surprise at Bellewstown and could be on an upward trajectory now. Eoin Doyle’s gelding doesn’t have many miles on the clock so could well improve sufficiently to get competitive off a 7lb higher mark.
SELECTION: DARKENED
Next best: Rock On Pedro
6.10 Guinness Time INH Flat Race 2m2½f
Brookie is taken to get off the mark. Tony Martin’s five-year-old has shown ability on his three starts thus far, finishing third to the useful Brooklyn Glory in a maiden hurdle at Leopardstown and when running in a bumper at Killarney earlier this month, finishing second to Mon Couer. That run came after a mini break so he should be cherry ripe now for a trainer who loves to have a Galway winner.
Needless to say, the Mullins runner What Path, deserves respect, having finished second at Downpatrick on his latest run. That followed a couple of good runs last term so it won’t be any surprise to see him involved in the finish again.
SELECTION: BROOKIE
Next best: What Path
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