18:15 Galway

Thursday 29 July 2021

All16:3517:1017:4518:1518:4519:1519:4520:15

Guinness Galway Hurdle Handicap (Grade A)

Off time: 18:18 | Winning time: 3m 39.4s

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Selected odds by:

Saldier^p⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 155| D

18/1

15/8, good fifth of 15 in handicap at Royal Ascot (14.2f, good to firm) 44 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time for handicap hurdle debut and much respected for yard who have a good record in this.

Form: F1/6678-

Sole Pretender^h²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: M P O'Connor⁽⁷⁾| T: N Lee| OR: 150| D

7/1

5/4, career best when winning 8-runner Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary (16.2f, good to soft) 28 days ago by 2 lengths from Darasso, holding on gamely. Ought to be competitive again.

Form: 115/15-1

Embittered^t²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: S Fitzgerald⁽⁷⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 148| BF| D

40/1

Eleven runs since last win in 2019. Evens, below form second of 8 in novice chase at Wexford (16f, good to soft) 27 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Has work to do.

Form: 244F0-2

Milkwood¹⁰²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 147| D

16/1

Two wins from 6 runs last season. Career best when winning 9-runner handicap hurdle at Ayr (16f, good, 3/1) 102 days ago, driven clear. Merits consideration. despite 5 lb rise

Form: 143031-

Belfast Banter^t¹¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: K C Sexton| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 144| CD

8/1

9/1, career best when winning 10-runner Top Novices' Hurdle at Aintree (16.5f, good to soft) 111 days ago by 1¼ lengths from Do Your Job, travelling strongly. Needs considering.

Form: 256211-

Burning Victory⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: J B Foley⁽⁷⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 143| D

16/1

Won 8-runner handicap (2/1) at Lyon Parilly (16.9f, good) 48 days ago. One for the shortlist back in this sphere on her handicap bow.

Form: 11/7-

Ciel De Neige^b1⁸⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: P Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 141| D

15/2

Good second of 24 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (20f, good to soft, 11/1) 89 days ago. Blinkers on 1st time and worth consideration for yard with good record in this event. Player.

Form: 0/51992-

Annexation^t⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: H Morgan⁽⁵⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 140| D

25/1

15/2, career best when winning 8-runner handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan (16f, good) 45 days ago. In the shake-up once more.

Form: 125-F1

Call Me Lyreen⁹³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: J W Kennedy| T: Mrs D Foster| OR: 140| D

16/1

Three wins from 5 runs last season. 22/1, very good second of 24 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (16.4f, good to soft) 93 days ago, just failing. In the picture once more.

Form: 111862-

Cape Gentleman⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: K Brogan⁽⁵⁾| T: E Mullins| OR: 140| D

6/1

Very useful hurdler who arrives on back of excellent fifth in Royal Ascot handicap in June. Still low mileage, and bold showing is on the cards back in this sphere.

Form: 1P19-

Hannon⁸¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: D J O'Keeffe| T: T Gibney| OR: 140| D

28/1

Good second of 18 to Jesse Evans in handicap hurdle at Killarney (17f, good to soft) 81 days ago. Stable having good spell and well in the mix.

Form: 01P70-2

Skyace⁸⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: J S McGarvey| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 140| D

16/1

Five wins from 10 runs last season, latest at Fairyhouse in April. Fell second in Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown (20f, good to soft, 8/1) 89 days ago. Can bounce back now.

Form: F1141F-

Thosedaysaregone²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: Mr P Byrnes⁽⁷⁾| T: C Byrnes| OR: 140| D

50/1

33/1, first run since leaving R. P. Burns when below form fifth of 15 to Winner Takes Itall in handicap hurdle at Bellewstown (16.8f, good) 26 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 613/47-5

Jesse Evans¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: S W Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 139| D

25/1

Two wins from 6 runs last season. Below form fourth of 11 in maiden (5/6) at Killarney (14.1f, good) 16 days ago. More is required back in this sphere.

Form: 1U743-1

Tudor City^t²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-8| J: D F O'Regan| T: A J Martin| OR: 139| CD

28/1

C&D winner. Below-form fourth of 7 in handicap at Leopardstown (12.8f, good) 21 days ago but not dismissed back over hurdles now.

Form: 1/70060-

Eclair De Beaufeu¹¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: J C Gainford⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs D Foster| OR: 138| BF| D

33/1

Below form eleventh of 20 to Hearts Are Trumps in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (16f, good to soft, 9/2) 117 days ago. Needs to get back on track.

Form: FF0640-

Zoffanien³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: D Meyler| T: D Hogan| OR: 142

40/1

Respectable eleventh of 19 in handicap (13/2) at this course (16.8f, good to soft) on IRE flat debut 3 days ago. Not easy to make a case for now hurdling again.

Form: 218214-

Magic Tricks^p1¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: M P Walsh| T: Mrs D Foster| OR: 137| BF| D

7/1

Good second on Flat debut at Killarney (14.1f) 16 days ago. Cheekpieces on now and worth considering back hurdling.

Form: 416820-

Winner Takes Itall²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: S D Torrens⁽³⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 132| D

9/1

Useful 1m2f Flat winner in 2020 who scored easily in 15-runner handicap hurdle at Bellewstown (16.8f, good) 26 days ago. Hiked up 13 lb but still weighted to have a big say.

Form: 10/20-01

Hearts Are Trumps²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: L P Dempsey| T: D McDonogh| OR: 137| C| D

33/1

Latest win in hurdle at Fairyhouse in April but well-beaten last of 8 in Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary (16.2f, good to soft) 28 days ago. Course winner yet others more persuasive. RESERVE

Form: 80701-8

Non-Runners

Band of Outlaws²⁸

Weight: 10-13| Age: 6

T: J P O'Brien J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Cape Gentleman (6/1), Sole Pretender (7/1), Magic Tricks (7/1), Ciel De Neige (15/2), Belfast Banter (8/1), Winner Takes Itall (9/1), Milkwood (16/1), Burning Victory (16/1), Call Me Lyreen (16/1), Band of Outlaws (16/1), Skyace (16/1), Saldier (18/1), Jesse Evans (25/1), Annexation (25/1), Tudor City (28/1), Hannon (28/1), Hearts Are Trumps (33/1), Eclair De Beaufeu (33/1), Zoffanien (40/1), Embittered (40/1), Thosedaysaregone (50/1)

A cracking handicap in which WINNER TAKES ITALL is fancied to follow up his emphatic Bellewstown hurdles victory earlier in the month given he looked right back to being the useful Flat performer of 2020 there. Willie Mullins has a good record in this event so his Ciel De Neige is feared most ahead of Call Me Lyreen and Cape Gentleman.