'I'd pick him to ride' - Paddy Flood on the Galway Hurdle

The Guinness Galway Hurdle is the feature race on Thursday and was described by journalist Johnny Ward as "one of the toughest Galway Hurdles I've ever seen," on our BOYLE Sports Galway Preview show.

Puturhandstogether is current favourite at around 4-1 for Joseph O'Brien, who took the prize last year with Nurburgring

The Cheltenham Festival-winning four-year-old is bidding to continue the resurgence of juveniles in this race but Paddy Flood and Johnny Ward think his stablemate will be the one bringing the trophy home.

Paddy Flood's Galway Hurdle Tip

Mr Percy (10/1 with BOYLE Sports)

Joseph O’Brien’s horses are flying. He's just got something about him. He's a 140 horse. I think he's a good bit in hand to be honest. I think he's a way better horse than a 140 horse. He was good and brave in Fairyhouse. He’s not a big horse but that’s not to say he won’t get around Galway. He’s not overexposed If I could pick one, I'd pick him to ride.

Another one I have to give mention to is Jesse Evans hhat a horse. It's the fourth time going for the hurdle and he was second in two of them.

That course form, if they take to a Galway Hurdle and they enjoy it, they're bang there.

They're always there, it gives the rider a load of confidence knowing that this horse is after running three or four times in it.

Johnny Ward's Galway Hurdle Tip

Mr Percy (10/1 with BOYLE Sports)

I find this desperately tough and at an absolute push I’d go with Mr. Percy.

He's a 5-year-old, it was a very good effort on the Flat last time winning at the Curragh under Wayne Hassett and he’s a Grade two winner over hurdles.

He stays well and he’s a very uncomplicated horse.

Race Tactics with Paddy Flood

The start in the hurdle and plate is everything basically - that's the winning and losing of it. You need to jump off closer than you actually want to be.

If you're on the back foot at all, you just won't win them. It's such a hard ride around there.

There's not an inch going around there in a Galway [race]. I've often gone around and not seen a hurdle. You just hear them.

You want to be jumping off three or four lengths closer and then come back to the position you want to be. Because if you jump off three or four lengths behind where you want to be, you'll never get in there.