Thursday Galway racing tips
14:10 Jungle Prose
14:45 Heia (each-way)
15:20 No More Porter
15:55 Keep In Touch
16:30 Encanto Bruno
17:05 Icare Allen (each way)
17:40 Stoke the Fire
18:10 I Will Be Baie
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
14:10 Jungle Prose
Willie Mullins often left me in the weigh-room on big days rather than let me start off in a Beginners Chase and he’s done the same with Paul Townend. Instead, Brian Hayes deputises aboard Sir Argus who won the contest last year on Ramblin’ Jack. Sir Argus put in the best run of his career last time in a handicap hurdle and Punchestown when finishing third and was a little unlucky not to win it. He has a bit to find with Gordon Elliott’s Jungle Prose on hurdle form and has to conceded 7lbs to her now. She’s also more experienced over fences than Sir Argus and may just have his measure.
14:45 Heia (each-way)
Willie Mullins saddles three runners with Hercule Du Seuil, Tax for Max and Heia all declared. Mark Walsh rides Hercule Du Seuil for JP McManus who likes to front run but does usually wear a hood and a tongue-tie. That isn’t an easy combination at Galway. He should have too much for Solness and Ballyadam again but the bottom weight Heia has handled Galway before and should finish the race well. She could be the each-way value.
15:20 No More Porter
A massive competitive handicap where Aido McGuinness’s No More Porter is due to line up after his agonisingly-close second in the BMW Mile on Tuesday night. If he runs to that form again he shouldn’t be far away.
15:55 Keep In Touch
The 7f Stakes race for Fillies and Mares has no runner rated above 96 and it looks an open contest. If it was run over a mile I’d fancy Nelda, but she looks like she needs a trip of more than 7f to show her best. That leads me to go with Dermot Weld’s three-year-old Keep In Touch. She is the highest-rated runner in the field, a course and distance winner and wears a visor for the first time.
- WELCOME TO PP NEWS: NEW TO US? CLICK HERE FOR OUR £/€20 SIGN-UP OFFER
16:30 Encanto Bruno
The Novice Hurdle over 2m 4f sees Horantzau D’airy and Ochocino closely matched on ratings with the former racing off 130, the highest mark in the field. What mark then could you give Paul Townend’s mount What Path? It’s probably not much more so that would have made it a difficult choice for Paul who had three options (Pink in the Park) to choose from.
You’re looking then to see who can run to a rating of 130 or better and that brings in Encanto Bruno whose only defeat in bumpers came when mid-division at the Cheltenham Festival. He subsequently won a maiden hurdle at Bellewstown on his hurdles debut beating the 115-rated Dutch Schultz by 13 lengths. When you add in those factors it’s not too hard to see Encanto Bruno running to a mark of 135 or 136 and that may be good enough to win.
17:05 Icare Allen (each way)
Willie Mullins is set to saddle four runners in the featured Galway Hurdle and Zarak the Brave is among the market leaders and the choice of Paul Townend. I’d be more concerned about the chances of a four-year-old winning a competitive handicap hurdle like this than his relative inexperience. It’s 23 years since a four-year-old won the Ballybrit feature.
Filey Bay and Brazil – who Mark rides – look to have solid chances and the latter runs in first-time cheek pieces and looks tailor-made for this race. Of all of them, like Icare Allen at a nice price each-way. He was a fair horse on his day but has disappointed this season but this test could bring out the best in him. He ran better than the bare form indicates last time at Tipperary and at the prices I’m happy to make a case for him each-way.
17:40 – Stoke the Fire / Grappa Nonino
A very tricky-looking handicap over 1m 4f where Irish Champion Flat jockey Colin Keane takes the ride on Willie Mullins’ Stoke the Fire who overcame a long lay-off to finish second at Down Royal at the end of June.
If he’s in the same form he will go close while the Dermot Weld-trained Grappa Nonino is one for the short-list too. A reverse forecast mightn’t be the worst option.
18:10 – I Will Be Baie
The final contest is the 2m 2f bumper where I Will Be Baie should make amends for his disqualification from first at Punchestown in June. Patrick Mullins rides and he’s my best bet of the day.
Ruby Walsh’s Galway racing tips
14:10 Jungle Prose
14:45 Heia (each-way)
15:20 No More Porter
15:55 Keep In Touch
16:30 Encanto Bruno
17:05 Icare Allen (each way)
17:40 Stoke the Fire
18:10 I Will Be Baie
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
READ MORE
- Gallop over to Paddy Power News for all the latest horse racing tips
- Glorious Goodwood 2023 race times and day-by-day schedule
- Galway Festival 2023 race times and day-by-day schedule
THE PADDY POWER GUIDE TO SAFER GAMBLING – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
