Weight Plays On Goldie´s Mind

Jim Goldie is worried about well-handicapped horses lurking among the lower weights when Kid´z´play goes for glory in the Hewlett-Packard Galway Plate tomorrow.

The nine-year-old is near the head of the weights in the ?121,800 handicap chase on 11st 9lb, having won three novice events at Perth this summer.

'The weight is the big issue. It would have been better if he had 10st 9lb and not 11st 9lb,' said the Glasgow trainer today.

'There might be some better handicapped horses in the race - some who have been laid out specially for it.

'We have shown our hand. He´s won his last three over fences and hopefully he will have improved again.'

Goldie admitted that he has been looking forward to running the versatile gelding, a winner on the Flat and over hurdles, in the Galway feature for some time.

'I´ve had this race in mind for a while. He goes well right-handed and I think this track will suit him,' he went on.

'He´s not tackled this trip before, but he showed no signs of stopping when winning over two and a half miles.

'I´ve had runners at the Curragh and Leopardstown, but never had one at Galway before.'

Totheroadyouvgone will also be Alan Jones´ first runner at Galway and the Devon trainer is optimistic of a big run.

'I think he´ll take all the beating. He´s got no weight and he has earned in his place in a race like this,' said Jones

'If he´s there at the last, he´ll take some beating. He made up 60 lengths at Newton Abbot last time and was only beaten six lengths into second place as he didn´t quite stay the three miles.

'The two and three-quarter miles at Galway should suit him.'

The other raider from Britain is Ball O Malt, trained by Richard Fahey.

Joint top weights on 12st in a maximum field of 22 are last year´s winner Ansar, trained by Dermot Weld, and Michael O´Brien´s Banasan.

Tony McCoy rides the fancied Kickham from Edward O´Grady´s stable. Fahey said of Ball O Malt: 'The owner is keen to go and it is a handicap, so he is entitled to be there.

'It is just a case of whether he is good enough, but he ran very well at Galway twice in his younger days, so we know he handles the track, which isn´t easy.

'All I can say is that he´s very fit and very well.'

Hewlett-Packard Galway Plate, Paddy Power bet: 6-1 Warrens Castle, 7-1 Mirpour, 8-1 Banasan, Kickham, 10-1 Ansar, 14-1 Mutakarrim, Berkley, Ursumman, 16-1 bar.

? PA Sport