Countdown to Galway Races: Top Contenders for The Galway Plate

The Galway Races are looming large on the horizon once more as the seven-day Ballybrit bonanza gets ready to light up the Irish summer.

The Galway Plate as always will be the centrepiece of the week at Ballybrit and takes place on Wednesday, July 30th.

We're taking a look at some of the possible contenders for the big prize at the Galway Races.

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Ashdale Bob

Jessica Harrington's 10-year-old was a winner at the 2024 Galway Races on his only previous visit to the Ballybrit layout.

On that occasion Ashdale Bob won the Grade 3 Guinness Open Gate Brewery Novice Chase over 2m2f in the hands of Jack Kennedy, showing a pleasing attitude in the closing stages for a rallying success.

He tackled a Kempton Grade 2 in February on his only subsequent run last season and was prepped for Galway when fourth behind Gaelic Arc in a Kilbeggan trial in June.

Marv Michael

Marv Michael is a front-runner who appears to relish the sharp track at Kilbeggan, with the Henry de Bromhead-trained seven-year-old having won both his chase starts at the venue prior to finishing third in that trial in June.

He led the field around but a couple of mistakes put him on the back foot and he was held late on. He has never run at Galway before and the Knockeen trainer has a decision to make now.

Gaelic Arc

John Ryan landed that 2m4f Kilbeggan event with second-favourite Gaelic Arc.

The nine-year-old travelled well and made his way to the front around the halfway stage. He was asked questions by De Bromhead's second string in the race, Le Coq Hardi, but found plenty when called upon. There could be more in his locker.

Zanahiyr

Gordon Elliott's Zanahiyr was third in the race a year ago as Pinkerton won. He has run sparingly since, tackling the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan in November and the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March over jumps.

He fell early in the Cotswolds contest and was given a spin on the Flat at Killarney in May to ease him back into the swing of things.

The Cullentra handler has won the Plate four times, with Lord Scoundrel (2016), Clarcam (2018), Borice (2019) and Ash Tree Meadow (2023).

Mister Policeman

Willie Mullins has won the Plate with Blazing Tempo (2011) and Royal Rendezvous (2021) and the Closutton chief is sure to be lining up a strong challenge once more.

Mister Policeman is a horse the champion trainer has suggested in the past has 'sort of disappointed me', while Mullins also added that he 'thought a lot of him'.

He was pulled up in the Galway Plate in 2024 and didn't appear again on the racetrack until Cork in April this year where he won the Grade 3 Michael O'Sullivan Chase at the Mallow venue.

He's been absent since but it will be interesting to see if the Rich Ricci runner is given another crack at Ballybrit's biggest race. He's just seven-years-old and has won four of his seven starts over fences.