2022 Galway Festival Day 1
The seven-day stamina sapping Galway Festival kicks off today with a mixed card of jumps and flat racing.
The traditional 2m Novice Hurdle kicks us off and that is where I will start today with the hope of getting us off to a flyer.
Galway 17:10 – 2m½f Galmont.com & Galwaybayhotel.com Novice Hurdle | 2022 Galway Festival Day 1
As always, this has a wide-open look to it, and finding the winner is never easy; but I might have one that will get us off to a flyer even with HMS Seahorse at the head of the market at 4/6.
GOATH CHUIL is the one I really like at a great each way price.
The impressive 14L winner last time out at Tipperary didn’t come out of the blue as she put up a good run behind Pink In The Park at the Punchestown Festival.
She gets upwards of a stone from some of her rivals and trainer Ted Walsh is no stranger to targeting his main stable players at this meeting and comes here with a good chance on hurdle debut.
Her attitude is what I like for a race like this, battle hardened from her bumper runs and has a never-say-die attitude for a 4yo.
You have no issue of Goath Chuil getting the trip and being a bumper winner, she will relish the stamina required for the hill at Ballybrit.
At 9/2 she strikes me as a great each way bet, and may well pick up the pieces if HMS Seahorse fails to fire.
Galway 18:40 – 2m1f Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap | 2022 Galway Festival Day 1
The big amateur handicap on the opening day of the Galway Festival sees a massively competitive field for us to try and solve.
The one that everyone looks out for here is “what is Paddy Mullins on” and it comes as no shock that he is on classy hurdler and current 7/2 favourite Echos In Rain. With that said, Patrick doesn’t have a great record in this race, but that is not the reason why I will be taking him on.
I will be going with the Noel Meade-trained CASK MATE at 14/1 under 7lb claimer Pat Taaffe.
Last seen in the Ladies Derby at the Curragh where he was not used to his best ability which only saw him run on strongly over 1f out to grab 7th.
That might well have been used to get him cherry ripe for this, and with his light weight and clear ability, I think he is a massive price at 14/1.
Galway 19:50 – 1m4½f Eventus Handicap | 2022 Galway Festival Day 1
This is a race in where I really like the chances of COMMON PRATICE.
The winner of the Apprentice Derby at the Curragh when he was stepped up to 1m4f for the first time and he looked like he needed every yard of that trip when getting up late on to win.
Has been put up 8lb for that win but with that being his first beyond 7f I believe that he has a lot more to offer now that he is at a trip that has gotten the best out of him.
Perfectly drawn in 5 where he should be able to grab a nice position and track the pace, and when he hits the hill on the final lap, I believe you will see him power clear to win convincingly.
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2022 Galway Festival Day 1 tips by Andrew Halligan
