16/1 WINNER: SHAMROCK made a stunning start to the Galway Festival when his next best selection SWAMP FOX WON AT 16/1.
Brilliant start to Galway and I hope you were on the ‘next best’ selection Swamp Fox in the 7.20 race.
This is what I said yesterday:
Incredibly open handicap of which the answer may lie at the foot of the weights with Swamp Fox who won very easily at Ballinrobe. He races off a mark just 1lb higher which could easily allow him to figure. Around 25/1 looks generous.
The nap, Robin Des Foret finished second at 4/1 in the last race on the card.
Seven races from Galway today starting at 5.15.
5:15 COLM QUINN BMW Novice Hurdle (4yo+, 2m 110y, 10 runners)
A much more competitive opener that yesterday in which Willie Mullins saddled Muthaza to win at prohibitive odds of 1/6. Mullins has a couple of live chances here with Master Of Verse and Penhill but preference is for Three Wise Men who shaped well when third to Koshari at Punchestown in April and after a break he could prove hard to beat. Joseph O’Brien saddles Oathkeeper who looks a big danger after his easy win at Killarney.
5:45 Latin Quarter Beginners Chase (4yo+, 2m 2f 54y, 12 runners)
I think my play here is to be against Briar Hill. He is undoubtedly the class act in the race and would win this easily if reproducing his best hurdles form but my worry is how his form has tailed off. Winner of the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in 2013 he went on to win three races at short odds but was a faller at the 2014 Festival and also fell at Navan last year. He was well beaten on his only start of 2016 and how he copes with the larger obstacles is anyone’s guess but I’m definitely a layer at around 3.1.
6:15 COLM QUINN BMW E.B.F. Fillies Maiden (Plus 10) (2yo, 7f, 14 runners)
Eziyra should win the first flat race of the day for Dermot Weld. She chased home the odds-on Sea Of Grace on debut at Tipperary – that form looks smart and she is the best bet on day two.
6:50 Caulfield Industrial E.B.F. Maiden (3yo+, 7f, 10 runners)
Looks another for Weld with Sikandarabad who was a good second at Leopardstown. Main danger Saafarr has achieved more but has proved hard to win with and the hope must be that Sikandarabad will improve sufficiently from his first start to account for the Jim Bolger trained runner.
7:20 COLM QUINN BMW Mile Handicap (Premier Handicap) (3yo+, 1m 123y, 20 runners)
Sea Wolf won really well at the Curragh last time out and the Ger Lyons trained runner can run a big race here, despite the hike in the weights.
7:50 Caulfield Industrial Handicap (50-80) (4yo+, 7f, 19 runners)
Malinke has the Weld factor but even so looks too short. A better play might be Could Should Would who chased home Hidden Oasis last time out.
8:20 Caulfieldindustrial.com Handicap (55-80) (3yo+, 2m 110y, 18 runners)
Impossible looking finale in which Neatly Put might reward win and place support. He was a good third at Killarney and looks certain to find further improvement on only his fourth start.
SHAMROCK’S BETS:
5.15 Three Wise Men
5.45 Briar Hill (LAY)
6.15 Eziyra (NAP)
6.50 Sikandarabad
7.20 Sea Wolf (WIN AND PLACE)
7.50 Could Should Would (WIN AND PLACE)
8.20 Neatly Put (WIN AND PLACE)
£25 IN FREE BETS
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