A look ahead to the action on day two of the Galway festival.
Topaz Novice Hurdle
SHAMAR has been impressive in his two victories this summer and connections will be hoping the rain stays away as he really seems to appreciate top of the ground. He beat a good field down in Killarney last time and did it in style. Ruby Walsh questioned whether he would be a Galway horse then as he seems to appreciate the flatter tracks but he looks to have enough class to get the job done here. He should again hold Que Pasa, who was runner-up to him. Dermot Weld could be represented by Diplomat if he turns out again, depending on how it goes in Monday's opener. He was well fancied for his hurdling debut at Leopardstown last Christmas but had to settle for third and never really figured in a couple of good races after. The opposition looked a good bit lower at Sligo earlier this month when he cruised home for a length success. That form has been boosted since, however, with the runner-up scoring easily at Ballinrobe last week. Elegant Statesman is unbeaten in two starts 'on the track' and looks open to more improvement. He beat a good yard stick in Giant's Quest on his hurdling debut but being a point-to-point recruit he may just want a bit farther than this. Cracking Man won an ordinary enough contest at Downpatrick last time and this looks a lot tougher while Bob Le Beau made the breakthrough at Ballinrobe last time but also needs to improve on what he has shown over timber to date. (GC)
Latin Quarter Steeplechase
English raider Woolcombe Folly has been given a rating of 154 over here but has been running off less than that in England and failing to get his head in front. He may not live up to quite as high a rating and having not won since December 2010 others makes more appeal. RATHLIN has had a nice break since an impressive performance at Punchestown in late May and on that form he looks the one to beat. He had proven a touch disappointing over fences until two victories in May and his last win particularly was a really good effort. He seemed to appreciate the better ground and may fulfill his potential now with the confidence those victories gave him. Hidden Cyclone comes here rather than carrying a big weight in the Plate and at his best would be an obvious danger. A one-time Gold Cup hope he fell short in the top grade and his season petered out disappointingly last term. He hasn't run since February when flopping at Navan and connections will be looking for rain here as it has been said in the past that he wants a bit of a cut. Dantes King comes here bidding for a hat-trick after a couple of victories around Perth but looks to have a lot more on his plate now while Canaly signed off last season with a poor run at Punchestown and needs to show more on his return. (GC)
Topaz European Breeders Fund Fillies Maiden
It was a very messy race which TARFASHA was second in at Leopardstown first time up but she caught the eye of many then and should prove hard to beat now. They only really raced from before the bend then and the selection was reeling in the well-regarded winner, Geoffrey Chaucer, and may have caught him in another few strides. The third Stirabout, who had finished a fair enough third previously down in Cork, also finished on top of them. The form probably isn't as important as the impression left that the front two could be useful. It didn't look the greatest Curragh maiden on the day when Ballybacka Queen was second to Avenue Gabriel and some of that was down to her presence at 50/1. The winner has gone on to run well in the Silver Flash however and given natural improvement Pat Fahy's charge looks a big danger. Calorie, who was back in third that day should be held again. The Ballydoyle runner Terrific was well beaten in 12th in that Curragh contest, when second string, but given the way the stable's runners can improve for an outing it would be no surprise if she was a lot closer now. (GC)
Topaz Mile Handicap
A couple I've heard chat about for this year's renewal of the Tuesday night highlight are CAMPANOLOGY and Global Village. Campanology has fared okay with the draw, getting box three. Johnny Murtagh said of him in an Irish Field stable tour at the start of last month: "He ran a nice race at the weekend when he finished fourth in a premier handicap (came home well at the Curragh on May 25th behind Fiesolana). The handicapper put him up 2Ibs for that. There is a good handicap for him at Ascot over seven furlongs (finished 15th there behind Lightning Cloud). He likes fast ground (a bit of a worry now perhaps) and seven to a mile suits him well. I'd like to think that there is a good race to be won with him." Twice a winner when with Richard Hannon, Campanology has been sparingly enough campaigned since joining Murtagh and it'd be no great surprise if this test has been on his itinerary for some time. Global Village may well have been put by for this too and any ease in the ground will do the Lincoln runner-up no harm. Last year's hero Vastonea (drawn very wide in sixteen) and runner-up Pintura (a course winner a few days later) renew rivalries and with the red-hot Connor King on the latter you'd imagine he'll go well. After his big win at Leopardstown, Tandem, a previous course and distance winner, has to be on the short-list – for obvious reasons – despite the handicapper making things harder. Plenty of others need considering but two of the rest to jump out are English raider Swiftly Done (drawn in one and any softening in the surface will be in his favour) and course winner Golden Shoe (a little out of the handicap but set to race from a near rail-side berth in two). (EM)
Caulfieldindustrial.com European Breeders Fund Maiden
Given that they're in the same ownership it'll be interesting to see how PIRATE COVE and Fulminata go in the market. The latter has looked nothing special in two outings to date but that experience allied to the addition of a hood makes her an interesting participant. Even if she were to prove weak in the betting, the Holy Roman Emperor filly could provide a bit of value. Pirate Cove is a half-sister to the Group 1 placed High Heeled and she gets the nod for the top team around here. Our Max and Tax Reform have shown bits of ability in their recent outings but the likelihood is that they could be facing a smart one in the selection. Sister Slew made her debut at this Festival a year ago. Fourth of six then, five efforts in the interim sees her current rating stand at 70. It'd be a surprise if she proved to be anything more than a bit player now. (EM)
Caulfield Industrial Athlone Handicap
With just thirteen pounds from top to bottom here you be inclined to consider the higher-weighted horses more than you might ordinarily do. INDIAN LANDING fits the bill. The course and distance winner is owned by Galway man, Herb Stanley, and he hails from a yard well adept at targeting and landing handicaps on the big days. He's got Pat Smullen in the plate, he's secured a rail-side draw in one and perhaps as important as any of that the selection brings good recent form into this event. Knights Templar also comes here in rattling good order and he has a squeak. Alsium (first handicap), a locally owned hope, has cheek-pieces on for the first-time and Joseph O'Brien in the plate but the draw hasn't been kind to her and she's set to depart from stall sixteen. It's great to see the old-stager Fit The Cove back again but coming off a break maybe he'll be of more interest later in the week. Many others enter the equation and these include Lily Of Kenmare, Enigma Code, Almadaa, September Lily, Consonance and Sophies Echo. (EM)
Caulfieldindustrial.com Handicap
A few previous Ballybrit winners in here but they could all have their work cut out to deal with BUSTED TYCOON. The daughter of Marju performed okay in four outings at Dundalk when in the care of Tommy Stack. She's since looked a very progressive type in winning three hurdles for Tony Martin and a mark of 71 would seem to be quite attractive for the sound stayer. Zemario was a big eye-catcher at Killarney last time and he could be there to pick up the pieces if the aforementioned filly fails to fire. Any number of others could potentially come into it. Principals on that list are probably Silk Hall, Dancers Dilemma and Darenjan. (EM)
