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- Insights on 29 Possible Contenders for Galway Hurdle
Insights on 29 Possible Contenders for Galway Hurdle
© Healy Racing Photos
The picture for Thursday's Galway Hurdle is becoming a little bit clearer as a field of 29 possible contenders are left in the mix for Ballybrit showpiece following the confirmation stage.
Willie Mullins has won the Galway Hurdle a record six times and the champion trainer retains as many as seven possible contenders, while Gordon Elliott has a quartet of interested parties.
Last year's winning trainer Joseph O'Brien has three left in the shake-up, while namesake Fergal O'Brien has left open the possibility of sending smart mare Dysart Enos to Ballybrit.
O'Brien leaves a trio in
Joseph O'Brien bagged his second Galway Hurdle last year as Nurburgring took the chequered flag in superb style.
The Piltown trainer had previously won with Tigris River in 2017 and he is left with three possible contenders this time.
Last year's winning silks of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede could be carried by Mr Percy 2-5 over hurdles and winner of his last two starts — a Grade 2 novice event at Fairyhouse in April and an Ebor qualifier at the Curragh over 1m6f in June off a mark of 87.
He's a classy young horse with some upside and fits a similar profile to that of Nurburgring despite being a year older. Puturhandstogether won the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival in March and ran well in Grade 3 Grimes Hurdles at Tipperary last time, a superb pointer towards Galway success in the past. Prairie Dancer a four-time hurdles scorer, could line up though he is more exposed than his stablemates.
Winter Fog stays in for Mullins
Winter Fog is one of seven possible Mullins contenders and would carry top-weight should he line up.
Five times a winner over sticks, he was around seven-lengths fifth of 12 behind Jesse Evans in that Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary last time, stretching his winless run to 10 since he won the same contest a year ago before finishing fourth in this. Gaucher Batman Girac Tounsivator Jalila Moriviere Blue Lemons and Last Kingdom are the other Closutton hopefuls.
Tounsivator was a surprise winner of the Royal Bond Novices' Hurdle at Fairyhouse in December but couldn't quite build on that in four starts in strong company afterwards.
He has been off since a wide-margin defeat in the Sussex Champion Hurdle at Plumpton in April as his trainer chased down his second British trainers' championship.
Elliott retains hope of Ballybrit breakthrough
Gordon Elliott hasn't got many major handicaps in Irish jumps racing left to check off, but this is one that eluded the Cullentra ace. Ndaawi Casheldale Lad and Bowensonfire are his possible runners this time around in pursuit of the prestigious prize.
Ndaawi was second behind Kargese in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham and has been off since, while Casheldale Lad has shown good form in novice company, winning his second hurdles race in four starts at Punchestown in May.
Bowensonfire meanwhile hasn't finished out of the money in seven starts jumping hurdles, with three wins, and remains progressive, though this would be a tougher race than he's been used to.
© Healy Racing Photos
Dysart Enos could be Galway-bound
Fergal O'Brien is seemingly still giving thought to sending his mare Dysart Enos to Ireland with a bounty of €162,000 on offer.
The seven-year-old was progressive over timber in the 2023/24 season, winning three times.
She was a good third in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham on her comeback in November but hasn't landed a win in three starts since over jumps.
They include the Grade 1 Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March and the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr in April.
She ran a fine race at Ayr, denied just over a length off a mark of 137 and it will be intriguing to see if her Gloucestershire-based handler makes the trip to Galway.
4.302m. 11yds. 19 Declared.
Guinness Galway H'dle H'cap (Grade 3) of €270,000.00 4-y-o plus
- Formscan
- Race Info
- Conditions
1st - €162,000.00 2nd - €54,000.00 3rd - €27,000.00 4th - €13,500.00 5th - €8,100.00 6th - €5,400.00 Going - Flat: Soft. Natinal Hunt: Good, good to yielding in places. Fine and warm
Formscan By Gary Carson- Fergal O’Brien saddles his first runner at Galway with DYSART ENOS and she might be worth a shot at a nice price. The Malinas mare looked like a star in the making early in her career but was slightly disappointing last term. She didn’t run badly though when fourth in the Scottish Champion Hurdle and this nice ground should suit. A spin on the Flat recently should have left her spot on. Puturhandstogether was running a nice race in the Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary earlier this month until a mistake at the last. The ‘Fred Winter’ winner bids to make it a hat-trick in the race for four-year-olds. Joseph O’Brien also saddles another live contender in Mr Percy.
An extended handicap hurdle for four years old and upwards that have run at least four times in hurdle races up to and including 20th July 2025
Penalties - Winner of a hurdle race or hurdle races after calculation of the handicap shall carry any penalty or penalties which may be allotted by the Handicapper.
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