Galway Festival Day 3 Preview
Published:The €200,000 Galway Plate takes centre stage today on the third day of the festival but there are doubts surrounding the participation of the favourite Carlingford Lough. Tony McCoy has travelled over to Ireland in the hope that the first reserve gets the opportunity to run.
If all 22 stand their ground, McCoy may switch to one of four other entries for owner JP McManus. The early money this morning has been for Gordon Elliott’s Romanesco who was a close third in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham festival last March.
His trainer has been quite vocal in the build up for the race and admits that this has been his target for some time. Henry de Bromhead’s useful novice Buckers Bridge makes his handicap debut after competing at Grade 1 level whilst Ruby Walsh teams up with Terminal for Willie Mullins.
The meeting begins at 3.00pm this afternoon with Blackmail expected to get favourite backers off to a good start. Walsh’s mount may have most to fear from the McCoy-ridden Some Article.
There is a massive field for the two and a half-mile hurdle at 3.35 where Walsh again has a leading chance on the consistent Lady of Glencoe. Dangers include Six Stone Ned and Banana Flambe.
The three-mile handicap at 4.10 looks no easier to solve but Barry Geraghty could get among the winners here on Tugboat for Eddie O’Grady. Recent winners Shanpallas and Landero are others to consider in a wide-open race.
Union Dues will be a warm order for the maiden at 4.45 having won two bumpers last season before contesting the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham festival. Alkali and Zip Wire are others that look to have a future in a decent contest.
Dermot Weld will be looking to get back among the winners in the one-mile handicap at 6.05 when he saddles Moonbi Creek. The weights are headed by the consistent Daigreen who should again reward each-way support.
Weld can round off another successful day with Lucky Kitten in the 6.40 and the long odds-on Jayed Jidan in the closing maiden at 7.10.
Selections; 3.00 Blackmail, 3.35 Lady of Glencoe, 4.10 Tugboat, 4.45 Union Dues (NAP), 5.30 Romanesco (nb), 6.05 Moonbi Creek, 6.40 Lucky Kitten, 7.10 Jayed Jidan
