Galway Day Two: Top Trainer, Jockey, and Owner to Watch

Tuesday marks Day 2 of the Galway Festival and we have another thoroughly competitive card to look forward to.

The big race of the day is the €120,000 COLM QUINN BMW Mile Handicap over an extended mile. There’s a good mix of Flat and National Hunt action and it should be a cracker.

We’ve had a good look at the card and picked out a trainer, jockey and owner to follow on Day 2. It could be a big day for them and they all have some excellent chances.

Trainer - Willie Mullins

Perhaps not the most original of selections, Willie Mullins has a fair few representatives and you would imagine his runners will be bang in the mix. He has declared three runners in the opening race on the card, the Listed COLM QUINN BMW Novice Hurdle, and two of which should go very close. La Note Verte will be ridden by Paul Townend and she looked very smart when bolting up at Roscommon earlier this month. She looks ready for the step up in grade and is likely to be very popular.

Meanwhile, Mark Walsh rides impressive maiden winner Vicar Street who should be good enough to compete in this grade.

Mullins has another three darts to throw in the following beginners’ chase and Townend has chosen two-time hurdle winner My Great Mate.

Also represented on the Flat, interesting new recruit Alpha Capture goes in the 7f handicap and shouldn’t be ignored either.

Owner - Isaac Souede and Simon Munir

Isaac Souede and Simon Munir are always worth keeping an eye on as they are shrewd operators and have had large scale success across both codes. The pair are represented by three runners at Galway on Tuesday and a winner or two could be on the agenda.

Willie Mullins’ La Note Verte is the first of them and the very promising mare is three from four under rules so far, with her only defeat coming in a bumper on debut at Fairyhouse in March 2024. She won her next start easily and is unbeaten in two starts over hurdles thus far.

Green Testimony makes her debut in the 7f fillies’ maiden and her trainer, Joseph O’Brien, has been in eye-catchingly good form recently. He’s likely to have plenty of winners across the week and a big run from this daughter of Zoustar wouldn’t be a surprise.

Jockey - Chris Haynes

Chris Hayes reached the 1000 career winners milestone recently and will be keen to make it to 2000 as quickly as possible. He has three rides at Galway (four if reserve On A Session gets in), the first of which is an interesting debutante, Black Caviar Gold for Paddy Twomey.

He rides Coeur d’Or for Dermot Weld in the big race of the day, who is back down to a mark which is just 1lb higher than his last winning one. His two starts so far this season have been pretty decent and it’s certainly helpful that the handicapper is beginning to relent.

Raykir was fourth behind the Irish Derby runner-up on debut and there were signs of improvement when a good third at Limerick last time. Appearing to get outstayed that day, perhaps the return to 7f can facilitate the shedding of his maiden tag.