GALWAY PLATE DAY: SHAMROCK previews all eight races on day three of the Galway Festival which features the Galway Plate at 5.30pm. The ground is continuing to dry out.
Three winning bets from the seven races yesterday but a really disappointing run from the nap Siamsaiocht.
A mainly dry day is forecast today – Plate day – and the ground is good on the jumps course and yielding (yielding to soft in places) on the flat course.
Eight races with an earlier start time of 3.00.
3:00 Maiden Hurdle (5yo+, 2m, 9 runners)
Willie Mullins has won the opening race impressively on the first two days of this weeks Festival and has a solid chance again with Thomas Hobson. His chance isn’t quite as obvious though as the other two as he was a beaten odds-on favourite on hurdling debut when falling at the last when probably held. He also made a mistake at the second last suggesting he was tiring on the soft to heavy ground at Listowel. He was a four times winner on the flat when trained by John Gosden (including on good ground) but on what we’ve seen so far it’s not certain that he’s translated that form to hurdles and at 1.9 on BETDAQ I have to go on the right hand side and press the lay button.
3:35 E.B.F. Mares Handicap Hurdle (4yo+, 2m, 18 runners)
Possibly not the most original of selections in this handicap hurdle but I’m struggling to get away from the hat-trick seeking Supreme Vic who is versatile ground wise and she comes here at the top of her game after wins at Gowran Park and most recently at Ballinrobe where she justified favouritism in grand style. I think she will be prominent again despite the 7lb penalty and makes appeal at around 3.2 in the BETDAQ place market.
4:10 Handicap Hurdle (81-123) (4yo+, 2m 4f 81y, 23 runners)
Aidan O’Brien had a winner with Kalopsia on the opening day and Lone Star looks interesting in this with Barry Geraghty booked. He comes here after a break and on a decent looking mark for his handicap debut. He was highly tried after winning his maiden hurdle at Thurles. Owned by JP – he is already looking quite solid in the BETDAQ market.
4:45 (Q.R.) Maiden (3yo+, 1m 3f 180y, 19 runners)
Big field that can fairly quickly be whittled down to around six with realistic chances. There aren’t many maiden races where you see two eleven-year-olds competing !! The market leaders have an excellent record in this race and Time To Inspire looks set to continue that trend and win it for Dermot Weld. He didn’t really build on the promise of his debut last time out at Navan but is sure to be primed for this and can see off the main challenger Here For The Craic who has finished second in all three starts.
5:30 Galway Plate (Grade A Handicap Chase) (4yo+, 2m 6f 111y, 25 runners)
All 22 runners currently stand their ground in the feature so it should be a great spectacle as always. Gordon Elliott’s Make A Track bids for a hat-trick but made several errors before winning a small field race at Punchestown last time out and his jumping is likely to be put under severe pressure in this bigger field. Sole British raider It’s A Gimme was 6th in the Summer Plate at Market Rasen last time out but disappointed in this race last year having previously won the Summer Plate. Seven-year-olds have won three from the last four and I’m quite keen on the chances of the Willie Mullins trained Alelchi Inois to make his class tell. After winning five races on the spin (including the Ballybrit here at Galway) he found life too tough at Grade 1/2 level and was pulled up at Punchestown and Fairyhouse. He had a confidence boosting win over hurdles at Cork last time and is hopefully back to form.
6:05 Handicap (50-70) (4yo+, 1m 73y, 21 runners)
Big priced winners have popped up here recently and with the favourite trading around 8 on BETDAQ it looks ripe for another one. It’s interesting to note early BETDAQ support for War Anthem who is lightly raced and makes a lightning quick reappearance less than 24 hours after finishing third to Beau Satchel last night. The first time blinkers seemed to bring about an improvement and he can go close again tonight.
18:40 Handicap (3yo, 1m 73y, 12 runners)
Laganore lost her maiden tag at Naas last time out over six furlongs but is likely to do even better over this longer trip. She has been well backed on handicap debut.
19:10 Maiden (3yo+, 1m 73y, 10 runners)
New Agenda will very much be the day three banker for many. Dermot Weld’s runner was an excellent third on debut behind Outspoken and can give the stable a remarkable seventh consecutive win in the race.
SHAMROCK’S BETS:
3.00 Thomas Hobson (LAY)
3.35 Supreme Vic (PLACE)
4.10 Lone Star (WIN AND PLACE)
4.45 Time To Inspire (NAP)
5.30 Alelchi Inois (WIN and PLACE)
6.05 War Anthem (PLACE)
6.40 Laganore
7.10 New Agenda (NEXT BEST)
NEW !!!
You can now follow BETDAQ updates on Google+
For further details – CLICK HERE
£20 FREE BET
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
