Galway Day 3: Top Picks from Leading Owner, Trainer and Jockey

The Galway Festival is famous for its brilliant atmosphere and competitive racing, so there will be plenty of interested parties on Day 3. Wednesday’s seven-race card should be a cracker and the main event is the €270,000 Galway Plate.

Some smart horses have won the Galway Plate over the years and it’s sure to be fiercely competitive once again. We’ve selected one owner, trainer and jockey to follow on Wednesday and all three could be set for a successful Day 3.

Owner - JP McManus

JP McManus is National Hunt racing’s most prolific owner and he has some very good chances at Galway on Wednesday. He is set to have seven runners across the card and amongst them is a lively candidate in the Galway Plate.

With three runners in the main event, it would be no surprise to see his famous green and gold silks being carried to victory. Down Memory Lane is the shortest in the betting and he goes up to an extended 2m6f for the first time under rules.

A useful novice chaser last term, handicaps could suit him and he won a three-mile point-to-point impressively at the start of his career. Both Common Practice and Zenta appear to have solid enough each-way claims too.

Sons Of Anarchy isn’t without a chance in the opening maiden hurdle, provided he builds on his second at Punchestown last month. Carried With love is a particularly interesting runner in the 6.05 and Light Up The Dark could go close in the finale.

Trainer - Gordon Elliott

Last season was a testing one for Gordon Elliott, as chasing Willie Mullins is never an easy task. He has perhaps been a bit less prolific than usual at this time of year, but Wednesday could well be his time to shine.

With 11 runners across the card and eight in the big one, you would imagine he’ll be picking up some prize money on the day. Son Of Anarchy could be ready to get off the mark in the opening maiden hurdle, but Ossifer Hops probably has a bit to find in the 5.35. Three Card Brag is a talented horse and could well be well treated in the Plate, while the progressive Western Fold could have more to give, after winning the Mayo National last time. Down Memory Lane is his most likely winner according to the market.

Miss Gitana is an interesting runner in the finale, as she returned to winning ways over two miles on her last Flat start earlier this month.

Jockey - Mark Walsh

If JP McManus ends up having a good day, his retained rider Mark Walsh is likely to be in the winners’ enclosure a couple of times. He has three rides across the card and Carried With Love appears to have a smashing chance in the Mares Handicap Hurdle.

She failed to win on the Flat, but only took three bites at the cherry to get off the mark over hurdles. Joseph O’Brien’s filly won a Cork maiden hurdle impressively back in March and there should be more to come now going handicapping.

The aforementioned Down Memory Lane is a solid ride to have in the Galway Plate and it’s likely that we haven’t seen the best of him yet.