Galway Festival Day Three – Wednesday 27th July

Day Three Preview – 2022 Galway Festival – Andrew Blair White

The hardships of finding winners at the Galway Festival was evident from yesterday’s feature race, as with all connections of the winner jumping around to their credit, there was a litter of hard luck stories in behind. Star Harbour was one of those, as he was backed into turning in and must have lost a good five to six lengths before regaining himself into the places at the finish. These things happen though, and we can only dust ourselves off and try to pick apart today’s racing. 

The 5.40 race is the first port of call for the third day in succession, and this time around it is a 2m6f handicap hurdle that greats us. Barry Connell struck with his only runner on the card yesterday when Enniskerry won well, and I will be hoping for the same again, with a horse I like a lot in Snake Oil. This horse has obviously been tricky enough to keep right over time, but has plenty of ability and has already shown he can operate well on the back of absences. He was a good second behind Bring on the Night before winning his maiden hurdle easily last time out, and should be primed and ready to go on handicap debut. Based on the balance of his form, 125 could seem a generous handicap mark and I am hoping he can take advantage of that. At a price of 9/2 with Ladbrokes, who are offering 5 places, he should be backed each way. 

The 6.10 race is the mares handicap hurdle over the extended 2 miles and I am siding with the young, progressive horse Tullypole Annie, who will be looking to bring up her third winner of the summer today. She won really nicely only last week at Ballinrobe and despite going up the weights, she arrives here off a basement weight and should be suited by Rachael Blackmore taking the spin. Her liking to Ballinrobe is not a bad thing either, with the tracks holding similar resemblances in terms of finishing furlongs, and if able to stick with the principles in the middle part of the race, she will come home strong. At a price of 8/1 with Paddy Power, who are offering 5 places, she should be backed each way.

That moves us onto the 6.40, which is the featured Galway Plate over 2m6f and of course this race is just as tricky as usual to try and decipher. It is not a race I have a great record in, but I am going to be hoping that fortunes can change this time around with my two darts at the race. Firstly, is a horse that I have succeeded on plenty of times before, and that is El Barra, who is returning here after winning the big novices handicap at the Punchestown Festival. He seems desperate for a right handed track and he should be fine over this trip, and boasts some really good form in the book. He is now off 150, which does pose a big challenge, but he should be able to cope with it, and Paul Townend has decided he is the one. At a price of 13/2 with William Hill, who pay out 7 places, he should be backed. 

The other horse I am not going to allow slip in this race is the very quirky but very talented, Ronald Pump – who showed off his ability for these types of races when a close second in the Leinster National. He can be a bit reluctant at the start, which would have to be a bit of a concern, but if behaving on his A-Game, he has the class to go close in this race from a shrewd source in Matthew Smith. Sam Ewing has ridden the horse a few times before, so he should be getting used to him, and hopefully will be able to negate all of the quirks and deliver on all of the ability. At a price of 18/1, he should be backed each way too.