Galway Festival day two: Betting tips, odds, and race rundown

The Irish Sun

28-07-2025

DAY two of the Galway Festival starts with a Listed hurdle and is followed by a fascinating beginners' chase.
The highlight of day two comes in the COLM QUINN BMW Premier Handicap as fourteen go to post in search of the over €70,000 first prize.
🏇 Quick Galway Festival day two tips
Win singles and each way bets
with odds from the
5:05 COLM QUINN BMW Novice Hurdle:
5:37 The Latin Quarter Beginners Steeplechase:
6:07 COLM QUINN BMW Irish EBF Fillies Maiden:
6:40 The Caulfield Industrial Irish EBF Maiden:
7:15 COLM QUINN BMW Mile Handicap:
7:50 The caulfieldindustrail.com Handicap:
8:20 The Caulfield Industrial Handicap:
5:05 COLM QUINN BMW Novice Hurdle (4yo+) – 2m½f
Seven of the eight runners come in here on the back of a win. Emily Love is on a five-timer and has looked good when taking care of her rivals at Killarney. Jack Kennedy has chosen to ride Timeless Treaty, and even though he has only won two lower-level races, connections must be expecting a big performance from the son of Harzand.
Avondale should be taken seriously here as his form took a boost with the seven-length second Persian Daughter going on to win by thirteen lengths on her next start. However, the Willie Mullins pair of the well-bred Vicar Street, and
LA NOTE VERTE
look to be the ones who can take a big step forward here. Vicar Street was a good winner of his maiden under Anna McGuinness, and there will be a lot more to come from him, but the double green of La Note Verte has looked a massive improver of late.
She won her latest by twelve lengths, beating Fairbank, and had all her rivals in trouble turning in for home. She can run or sit behind a pace, and if she settles a bit more with experience, she will prove hard to beat.
2024 Winner:
Gale Mahler
J
: Henry Brooke –
T
: Adrian Keatley
Odds
: 9/2
Our Pick: LA NOTE VERTE
Trainer:
Willie Mullins
Jockey:
Paul Townend
Form:
8/1-11
Age:
5
Weight:
11st 2lb
➡️
5:37 The Latin Quarter Beginners Steeplechase (4yo+) - 2m2f
On ability alone, King Of Kingsfield should have the winning of this. But for all his talent, his attitude doesn't match it. From fourteen starts on the track, he has only managed one win, which was in a maiden hurdle. Yes, he has been used as a pacemaker in some of his races, but when he has been handed what looked like an easy opportunity on paper, he has failed to follow through with his effort.
He may be the clear class angle, but he has to be taken on, especially on a track that will demand a lot from him in a finish. With that, a chance is taken that
JET SETTING JIM
can get a lot more luck in running than when third in this last season. He warmed up for this with a second to Wille Mullins's Runcock at Tipperary, and with him now having his eye back in over fences, he may well be able to get the better of King Of Kingsfield.
My Great Mate, who was last seen behind The Yellow Clay in the Grade 2 Navan Novice Hurdle, would be a danger should fences improve him, and if his stablemate Lisnagar Fortune can finally sort out his jumping, then he has more than enough ability to mix it with the best of these. But that is a big if.
2024 Winner:
Thecompanysergeant
J
: Rachael Blackmore –
T
: Denis Hogan
Odds
: 6/4Fav
Our pick: JET SETTING JIM
Trainer:
John Queally
Jockey:
J J Slevin
Form:
F35P-2
Age:
8
Weight:
11st 12lb
➡️
6:07 COLM QUINN BMW Irish EBF Fillies Maiden (2yo) - 7f
Thenandnow finished ahead of
AMELIA EARHART
when both made their racecourse debut at Leopardstown this month, but the feeling is that Almila Earhart will come on considerably from that experience. She was the strong favourite on the day and showed considerable greenness before running on strongly in the closing stages.
There may not be a lot between Thenandnow and Amelia Earhart, but the daughter of Camelot can take a big step forward here. Paddy Twomey's Black Caviar Gold needs to be monitored in the betting, given the Twomey yard can ready one on their racecourse debut.
2024 Winner:
Bubbling l
– J:
Wayne Lordan
– T:
Aidan O'Brien
- Odds:
13/8Fav
Our pick: AMELIA EARHART
Trainer:
Aidan O'Brien
Jockey:
Jack Cleary (5lb)
Form:
3
Age:
2
Weight:
9st 2lb
➡️
6:40 The Caulfield Industrial Irish EBF Maiden (Premier Handicap) (3yo+) - 1m½f
This is not one of the strongest maidens you will see this week, and most with experience do not set a high standard. However, the twice-raced
COLLECTING COIN
was headed late on in a Curragh maiden and has since been gelded.
He still has more to offer and will not need to improve much from his latest run to get off the mark. Gran Habano wasn't far behind Collecting Coin at the Curragh, and should he leave his latest poor run behind him, he may be the one to follow home the selection.
2024 Winner:
Lucky Out
– J:
Seamie Heffernan
– T:
Thomas Mullins
– Odds:
7/4Fav
Our pick: COLLECTING COIN
Trainer:
Jessica Harrington
Jockey:
Shane Foley
Form:
32
Age:
3
Weight:
9st 8lb
➡️
7:15 COLM QUINN BMW Mile Handicap (3yo+) - 7f
Mississippi River has been running well of late. Jack Cleary takes a valuable three pounds off, and he looks sure to be in the mix. Slieve Binnian who got the better of Mississippi River is in the form of his life and despite an eight-pound rise, he will be bang there on a track that looks sure to suit his closing style. Evening Blossom was a good winner at Killarney and can take his seven-pound rise in his stride, but
ORANDI
may be the one to side with here.
Since returning to Tony Martin last year, this seven-year-old gelding has hit new heights. He started this season with a win in the Irish Lincolnshire and backed that up with a near miss in the Lincoln at Doncaster. He hasn't been seen since, and looks like one that has been laid out for this.
The draw is not ideal for his hold-up style, but granted a smooth passage under his inexperienced but talented claimer, he is sure to be fighting out the finish. Norwalk Havoc looks set for a big run, and at bigger prices, Bear Profit and Power Under Me can go well.
2024 Winner:
Maxicali Rose
– J:
M W Hassett
– T:
Joseph O'Brien
Odds:
12/1
Our pick: ORANDI
Trainer:
A J Martin
Jockey:
Jimmy Dalton (10lb)
Form:
223-13
Age:
7
Weight:
9st 7lb
➡️
7:50 The caulfieldindustrial.com Handicap (4yo+) - 7f
A wide-open handicap with cases to be made for many. Alpha Capture ran twice at last season's Galway Festival with no luck and will have to leave a flat performance behind him if he is to make it third time lucky at Ballybrit. Course and distance winner Imposing Supreme is two pounds higher than his win here last season, and ran well on his comeback from 301 days on the sidelines.
He looks sure to be primed for this and is set to go close. Another with a course and distance win to his name is Rhythm King. He was flat on his comeback, but like others, he will have been laid out of this; however, he would prefer a bit of give underfoot.
However, a chance is taken that the consistent
DARK VIPER
can continue his good form here. He ran another big race last week at Naas when beaten a head, and even with a four-pound rise, this can set up for him to close late on.
2024 Winner:
Reidh
– J:
Oisin Orr
– T:
Richard Fahey -
Odds:
10/3Fav
Our pick:
DARK VIPER
Trainer:
Jessica Harrington
Jockey:
Shane Foley
Form:
-21352
Age:
4
Weight:
9st 12lb
➡️
8:20 The Caulfield Industrial Handicap (4yo+) - 1m½f
Speckled Meadow, a course winner when trained by Terence O'Brien, this eight-year-old runs this course well and has an each-way chance in a wide-open affair. Si Senior has improved of late and looks sure to go well off top weight. Lexington Dash would be interesting if support were to come for him on the back of a 268-day break.
Loingseoir has been running well of late and can go close, but a chance is taken on
HELIOGABALUS
. He has yet to get off the mark in ten starts, but he has been threatening to rectify that in recent runs. He comes here on the back of a staying on third at Killarney, and with the application of first time blinker, this relatively unexposed gelding can go well at a price.
2024 Winner:
Clear Quartz
J:
Ronan Whelan
– T:
Mark Fahey
- Odds:
12/1
Our pick:
HELIOGABALUS
Trainer:
Sean Byrne
Jockey:
Shane Foley
Form:
-86203
Age:
4
Weight:
9st 12lb
➡️
🕔 Galway Festival day two schedule
TIME
RACE
DISTANCE
5:05
COLM QUINN BMW Novice Hurdle
2m½f
5:37
The Latin Quarter Beginners Steeplechase
2m2f
6:07
COLM QUINN BMW Irish EBF Fillies Maiden
7f
6:40
The Caulfield Industrial Irish EBF Maiden
1m½f
7:15
COLM QUINN BMW Mile Handicap
7f
7:50
The caulfieldindustrial.com Handicap
7f
8:20
The Caulfield Industrial Handicap
1m½f
📺 How to watch day two of the Galway Festival
Location:
Ballybrit, Galway, Ireland
Date/Time:
Tuesday, 29th July 2025. First Race 5:05
TV/Streaming:
RTÉ2 & Racing TV
About the author
Craig Mahood
Craig Mahood is an expert in sports betting and online casinos and has worked with the company since 2020. He joined the Betting & Gaming team at The Sun in June 2022 and works closely with the leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to provide content on all areas of sports betting and gaming. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter at the Scottish Sun, covering Scottish football with particular focus on Celtic and Rangers, As well as football, he has covered horse racing, boxing, darts, the Olympics and tennis for the Sun.
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