Tigris River in line for Galway Hurdle defence Tigris River could bid for a repeat success in the Guinness Galway Hurdle after featuring among the 44 horses entered for the for the €300,000 highlight next Thursday. Fifth in 2016 before winning last year, the JP McManus-owned gelding is one of five entries for Joseph O’Brien and has been allotted 10st 9lb. His McManus-owned stable companions Le Richebourg (10st 5lb), Ivanovich Gorbatov (10st 4lb), the hat-trick seeking Monarch (10st 3lb) and Plinth (10st) also feature. Champion trainer Willie Mullins, a winner with Mystical City in 1996 and Clondaw Warrior two years ago, includes the top three in the weights among his 14 entries. Wicklow Brave is 12lb clear at the head of the handicap on 11st 10lb, with Meri Devie next best with 10st 12lb and Sharjah on 10st 11lb. Royal Ascot winner Lagostovegas has 10st 10lb, while Whiskey Sour, twice a winner at the 2017 Galway Festival, is on 10st 8lb with the 2015 runner-up Max Dynamite on 10st 3lb. The Noel Meade-trained Joey Sasa had Wicklow Brave and Sharjah back in second and third respectively when impressing in the Grade Three Kevin McManus Bookmaker Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary earlier this month and has been allotted 10st 10lb. See Galway Hurdle Entries Here Gavin Cromwell has entered his dual Grade One winner Jer’s Girl (10st 9lb), while David’s Charm, a winner for John Joe Walsh at the meeting last year, is on the same weight. Trainer Mick Mulvany has entered his great money-spinner On The Go Again, which has been given an early weight of 9st 13lb. Cause Of Causes, Flaxen Flare and Bayan have all finished runner-up in the race for Gordon Elliott, but luck has deserted him in the race over the last three years. Elliott has five entries this time including The Game Changer, a place behind Bayan when third to Thomas Edison in 2014, on 10st 4lb and Cartwright on 10st 1lb. The John Quinn-trained Project Bluebook was sixth last year and heads a British entry of four. Bedrock, third in the Grade One Betway Top Novices´ Hurdle at Aintree in April, has been entered by Iain Jardine, while the raiding party is made up of Hassle and Leoncavallo, both trained by Dr Richard Newland. Galway manager Michael Moloney said: “There are few races that capture the imagination more than the Guinness Galway Hurdle and we are thrilled with the number and the quality of the entries. “The race has delivered the perfect mix; with last year’s back for more, some strong challengers from Britain, and plenty of up and coming stars biting at their heels.”
