Latest news with #GalwayHurdle
Irish Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Galway Races tips: 'It's all about Mee on day three of the Festival'
GALWAY PLATE day at Ballybrit and a high-class field has assembled for the valuable €270,000 contest now run at the later time of 6.40pm. Last year's Galway Hurdle hero Nurburgring attempts to join an elite group of horses to have completed the Plate/Hurdle double with Ansar the last to achieve the feat in 2001 and 2004. Gordon Elliott runs seven in the 2m6f race as he bids to win it for a fifth time while Noel Meade's Jesse Evans would be a deserving winner having finished second in the Galway Hurdle on two occasions. 5.05 - Tote Guaranteed Placepot Today Maiden Hurdle HIPOP DE LOIRE should get favourite backers off to a good start in the opening maiden hurdle for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend. The eight-year-old was runner-up in a maiden hurdle here 12 months and went on to run a screamer in the Ebor at York, a race he's currently ante-post favourite for next month. He was a six-time winner in his native Poland and Germany before moving to Cloustton and looks a level above the opposition here with a trip to Melbourne in November likely too. Zanndabad is a smart stayer on the flat for Tony Martin and although only rated 117 over hurdles there's surely more in the locker and a big run wouldn't be a shock. TIP: HIPOP DE LOIRE Each-way: Zanndabad 5.35 - Tote Money-back 2nd Every Race Today Handicap Hurdle Emmet Mullins trained the winner of the big race here on Monday and ARCTIC GALE has a strong chance of providing him with another winner here this evening. Owned by the Ballybrit loving and locally based Pearse and Annette Mee, the six-year-old comes here having won over fences at Tipperary earlier this month and his 109 mark over hurdles looks lenient. He wouldn't be winning out of turn having finished second in a bumper and second in a maiden hurdle at this Festival in 2023 and 2024. Danny Mullins is always worth a second look when riding for his mother Mags and Spinning Web has a chance of making the frame at decent odds. TIP: ARCTIC GALE (nap) Each-way: Spinning Web 6.05 - Tote Guaranteed Jackpot Mares Handicap Hurdle REDWOOD QUEEN is effectively a winner without a penalty having controversially unseated his rider with the race at his mercy at Wexford in May, an incident that's still under investigation by the IHRB. He was subsequently claimed by Cian Collins following that race and makes his debut here for the talented Cheltenham Festival winning trainer. Collins has booked top amateur rider Rob James to claim 7lbs and although it's a fiercely competitive contest, he's hard to get away from at the same time. Smart flat horse Enfranchise is also a leading contender in Mee silks. He was beaten just two lengths by Kyprios at Navan earlier this year and if he can jump he's thrown into this. TIP: REDWOOD QUEEN Each-way: Enfranchise 6.40 - Tote Galway Plate OLYMPIC MAN is put forward as a speculative choice in a wide open Galway Plate. The eight-year-old runs in the Audrey and Greg Turley colours of Galopin Des Champs and although he's nowhere near that good he does have ability and may be well handicapped. Jumping is his problem and he has made mistakes in his last couple of runs, spoiling any chance of victory, but if Danny Mullins can get him into a rhythm he's a chance off 10st13lbs. Danny Mullins onboard Olympic Man clears the last on his way to winning at Naas (Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne) He ran in both the Scottish Grand National and Bet365 Gold Cup during Mullins' title bid at the end of last season and this kind of race might be more to his liking in a race where being prominent has been crucial in recent times. Thecompanysergeant came agonisingly close to a Cheltenham Festival success in March when runner-up to Jagwar and backed that up with a good run in a handicap hurdle at the Punchestown Festival. The Gavin Cromwell-trained gelding runs here off just 2lbs higher than Cheltenham and is another with a massive chance. TIP: OLYMPIC MAN Each-way: Thecompanysergeant 7.15 - Download The Tote App (Q.R.) Maiden An amateur riders' maiden that can go to Georgie Benson and Johnny Murtagh with the three-year-old EDELAK in the late Aga Khan silks. He's a well-bred colt, related to Gold Cup winners Enzeli and Estimate, and looks to be improving for his runs during the summer having not raced as a juvenile. Word For Word can nick a place for Finny Maguire and John Joseph Murphy. TIP: EDELAK Each-way: Word For Word 7.50 - Watch Danny's Diary - 15 Years Of Tote Memories Handicap Another very low key contest where the crowd will be already heading towards the gates but SUJET can give Dermot Weld a welcome Ballybrit success in the Juddmote colours. He won a big handicap on Derby weekend at the Curragh and might be capable of following up despite a hefty hike of 10lbs. He's a gelding by Frankel that was bred for better things and that was his first run in a handicap so there's likely to be more improvement. TIP: SUJET Each-way: Sunriseontheboyne 8.20 - Tote, Never Beaten By SP Handicap HAPPY JACKY has top weight but he likes it around here and has made the frame on a number of occasions at the Festival and at the autumn meetings at Galway. Mark Fahy's gelding is now an 11-year-old but showed plenty of zest in winning a 3m hurdle race at Cork on his latest start and before that he ran a blinder to finish third in a big field handicap at the Curragh won by Lot Of Joy. The Laura Hougian-trained Last Ammo won this race when rated just 1lbs lower in 2023 and ran an eye-catching race at Ballinrobe recently. TIP: HAPPY JACKY Each-way: Last Ammo
Irish Independent
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Michael Verney's Day 3 Galway preview: ‘Nurburg' can run rings around Plate rivals en route to Ballybrit history
Joseph O'Brien has gotten used to making history in the training ranks and he is taking aim at another slice when Nurburgring tackles Wednesday's Tote Galway Plate (6.40), just 12 months after plundering the Galway Hurdle.
RTÉ News
19 hours ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Collins backs Cobden to get tune out of Jazzy Matty
Cian Collins believes Harry Cobden will suit dual Cheltenham Festival winner Jazzy Matty down to the ground in Wednesday's Tote Galway Plate. The versatile six-year-old won the Fred Winter for Gordon Elliott before changing hands for €50,000 in February 2024, winning minor races at Wexford and Sligo for new connections before landing the Grand Annual back at Cheltenham in March. He arrives fresh, having had a break since Punchestown, and with regular riders Jordan Gainford and Danny Gilligan required by Elliott, Cobden steps in. "We've given him a break since Punchestown, he's in good form and we're looking forward to running him," said Meath trainer Collins. "He's versatile, he runs over hurdles and fences, he gets this trip (two miles and six furlongs) and it looks like he should get his favoured good ground, which is a help. "When I knew that Danny and Jordan weren't going to be available, his regular jockeys, I just thought Harry Cobden would suit him as he's a good horseman with plenty of experience in those big handicaps. "He's a horse who thrives in big fields, they suit him. I do think he's a better horse at Cheltenham than anywhere else, mind. Hopefully Galway is a little bit similar with it's undulations and always on the turn with a stiff finish. "We're going there hopeful, he's in good form so if he runs his race, I think he'll be bang there." Gilligan rides Western Fold, with Gainford on Shecouldbeanything. Elliott's other runners are Three Card Brag, Zanahiyr, Down Memory Lane, Chemical Energy and Duffle Coat. Joseph O'Brien's favourite Nurburgring won the Galway Hurdle 12 months ago and will aim to emulate Dermot Weld's Ansar by winning both feature races, while Noel Meade's Jesse Evans, twice runner-up in the Hurdle, aims to go one better in the Plate. Watch the Galway Races on Tuesday and Wednesday from 5pm and on Thursday from 2pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
South Wales Guardian
21 hours ago
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Collins confident Cobden is the right fit for Jazzy Matty
The versatile six-year-old won the Fred Winter for Gordon Elliott before changing hands for €50,000 in February 2024, winning minor races at Wexford and Sligo for new connections before landing the Grand Annual back at Cheltenham in March. He arrives fresh having had a break since Punchestown and with regular riders Jordan Gainford and Danny Gilligan required by Elliott, Cobden steps in. 'We've given him a break since Punchestown, he's in good form and we're looking forward to running him,' said Collins. 'He's versatile, he runs over hurdles and fences, he gets this trip (two miles and six furlongs) and it looks like he should get his favoured good ground, which is a help. 'When I knew that Danny and Jordan weren't going to be available, his regular jockeys, I just thought Harry Cobden would suit him as he's a good horseman with plenty of experience in those big handicaps. 'He's a horse who thrives in big fields, they suit him. I do think he's a better horse at Cheltenham than anywhere else, mind. Hopefully Galway is a little bit similar with it's undulations and always on the turn with a stiff finish. 'We're going there hopeful, he's in good form so if he runs his race, I think he'll be bang there.' Gilligan rides Western Fold, with Gainford on Shecouldbeanything. Elliott's other runners are Three Card Brag, Zanahiyr, Down Memory Lane, Chemical Energy and Duffle Coat. Joseph O'Brien's Nurburgring won the Galway Hurdle 12 months ago and will aim to emulate Dermot Weld's Ansar by winning both feature races, while Noel Meade's Jesse Evans, twice runner-up in the Hurdle, aims to go one better in the Plate.
North Wales Chronicle
21 hours ago
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Collins confident Cobden is the right fit for Jazzy Matty
The versatile six-year-old won the Fred Winter for Gordon Elliott before changing hands for €50,000 in February 2024, winning minor races at Wexford and Sligo for new connections before landing the Grand Annual back at Cheltenham in March. He arrives fresh having had a break since Punchestown and with regular riders Jordan Gainford and Danny Gilligan required by Elliott, Cobden steps in. 'We've given him a break since Punchestown, he's in good form and we're looking forward to running him,' said Collins. 'He's versatile, he runs over hurdles and fences, he gets this trip (two miles and six furlongs) and it looks like he should get his favoured good ground, which is a help. 'When I knew that Danny and Jordan weren't going to be available, his regular jockeys, I just thought Harry Cobden would suit him as he's a good horseman with plenty of experience in those big handicaps. 'He's a horse who thrives in big fields, they suit him. I do think he's a better horse at Cheltenham than anywhere else, mind. Hopefully Galway is a little bit similar with it's undulations and always on the turn with a stiff finish. 'We're going there hopeful, he's in good form so if he runs his race, I think he'll be bang there.' Gilligan rides Western Fold, with Gainford on Shecouldbeanything. Elliott's other runners are Three Card Brag, Zanahiyr, Down Memory Lane, Chemical Energy and Duffle Coat. Joseph O'Brien's Nurburgring won the Galway Hurdle 12 months ago and will aim to emulate Dermot Weld's Ansar by winning both feature races, while Noel Meade's Jesse Evans, twice runner-up in the Hurdle, aims to go one better in the Plate.
