Ideal Pal and Nathan Crosse© Photo Healy Racing
Hat-trick-seeking Ideal Pal is on course for the Galway Festival.
Mick Mulvany’s three-year-old gelding landed a gamble at Cork in mid-June, before following up in a rated race at Sligo.
He was disadvantaged by the terms of that race, because he was rated 30lb inferior to the odds-on favourite Third World and had to give him 2lb.
Nonetheless, the grey prevailed by half a length, and the handicapper has since levied a 17lb hike to a new mark of 70.
Mulvany said: “There is a 50-70 race in Galway, and we will go there with him, but we don’t really want fast ground.
“After that, we will freshen him up to go hurdling with him later in the year.
“His mother (Lucky Beguine) was second in a good maiden hurdle, and he will want a bit of dig in the ground.”
