18:40 Galway

Monday 28 July 2025

All17:1017:4018:1018:4019:1519:5020:20

Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap (70-100)

Off time: 18:42 | Winning time: 3m 51.5s

Settings

Selected odds by:

(2)

Fairbanks^v²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr D McGill⁽⁷⁾| T: W Durkan| OR: 100

28/1

Progressive equipped with headgear for Andrew Balding in 2024. Hurdles winner in May for this yard bit below form second of 5 in novice hurdle at Roscommon (15.9f, good) 21 days ago. Visor back on returned to the level.

Form: 61204-0

(6)

War Rooms^p³⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr F Maguire| T: G Keane| OR: 98

16/1

Cheekpieces on for first time, creditable seventh of 18 in handicap (12/1) at Royal Ascot (12f, good to firm) 38 days ago, unsuited by way race developed. This increased emphasis on stamina looks in his favour and he's not yet exposed.

Form: 397-227

(4)

Dawn Rising⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-13| J: Miss A B O'Connor| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 97

18/1

Tongue strap on for first time, fourteenth of 20 in handicap at Royal Ascot (20f, good to firm, 28/1) 41 days ago. Back down in trip and dropping in the weights but others sill more persuasive.

Form: 561-600

(13)

Falcon Eight^v⁵⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-13| J: Mr P J Smullen⁽⁷⁾| T: D K Weld| OR: 97

22/1

Unreliable individual. Bit below form sixth of 13 in handicap at the Curragh (14f, good, 22/1) 54 days ago, merely passing beaten rivals having raced in snatches. Back up in trip and a visor may help him travel with a bit more purpose.

Form: 047-416

(15)

The Shunter^h,t²⁶⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 11-13| J: Mr H C Swan| T: E Mullins| OR: 97

66/1

Very useful dual-purpose performer, winning the Cesarewitch at Newmarket in 2023. 6 lengths third of 5 to Dawn Rising in Loughbrown Stakes at the Curragh (16.3f, good to soft, 40/1), slowly away. Off 8 months but given a chance by the handicapper. Market can guide.

Form: 7441/03-

(7)

Comfort Zone^b⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr D O'Connor| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 94| D

5/1

Useful hurdler who produced just about his best effort on the level when very good third of 20 in handicap at Royal Ascot (20f, good to firm) 41 days ago. Likely to be sticking to his task.

Form: 32/071-3

(5)

Familiar Dreams⁸⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr J H Williamson⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 93| D

10/1

Prolific bumper/fairly useful winner at up to 23f over hurdles. 14/1, 14 lengths sixth of 8 to Jasmin De Vaux in War of Attrition Novices' Hurdle at Punchestown (23.9f, good to soft) 89 days ago. Makes handicap debut from a stiff mark on what he's achieved on the level but scope for better.

Form: 417-

(18)

Westminster Moon^t²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr B M Coonan⁽⁷⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 93

22/1

Eleventh of 13 in handicap (50/1) at the Curragh (12f, good) 29 days ago. Significantly up in trip in quest to come close to the level he achieved in Germany.

Form: 23-0000

(20)

Too Bossy For Us^h1²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 92| BF

7/2

Useful on the Flat for Kevin Philippart de Foy and made a promising start for this yard when seventh on his hurdling debut in the Triumph at Cheltenham in March. Failed to build on that when fifth in Champion Juvenile at Punchestown but cracking second back on the level at the Curragh. Hood on.

Form: 13284-2

(8)

Riviera Queen²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr B O'Neill| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 89

33/1

15¾ lengths eighth of 11 to Chally Chute in listed race at Roscommon (12.1f, good to soft, 100/1) 27 days ago. Significantly up in trip on belated handicap debut.

Form: 440-578

(10)

Plontier²⁰⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Miss J Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 88

20/1

Fairly useful winner at 20f over hurdles. Tailed-off sixth of 8 to The Yellow Clay in Lawlor's of Naas Novices' Hurdle (40/1) at Naas (20f, heavy). Off 6 months and while he couldn't be in better hands, others make more appeal.

Form: 5362/00-

(22)

Royal Hollow¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Mr A P Ryan⁽⁵⁾| T: A Slattery| OR: 87| D

9/1

Won twice over hurdles last summer and career best Flat performance when winning 7-runner maiden at Killarney (14.2f, good to soft, 7/4) 13 days ago. Makes handicap debut and this a totally different examination.

Form: 3-2521

(17)

Zoffman^p²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Mr Finn Tegetmeier⁽⁷⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 87

18/1

Good eighth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Bellewstown (17.2f, good, 9/2) 23 days ago. Significantly up in trip having stuck to his task well when fourth over 12f at the Curragh last month.

Form: 302-044

(16)

Toll Stone^h²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr J L Gleeson| T: E Mullins| OR: 86| C

6/1

Handicap winner at a lesser level at this meeting a year ago. 12/1, creditable fifth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Bellewstown (17.2f, good) 23 days ago and that should have put him spot on for this.

Form: 32/1742-

(9)

Weston^t²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr L P Shanahan⁽⁷⁾| T: H Rogers| OR: 86

40/1

Third of 5 in minor event at Bellewstown (12.3f, good, 15/2) 25 days ago, never nearer. Well worth another go at this trip but have to go back to 2022 for the last time he won a race.

Form: 0/406-03

(19)

God Of Thunder^p,t²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Mr J M Halford⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 85| D

40/1

Cheekpieces on for first time in that code and he refused to race in handicap hurdle (20/1) at Bellewstown (17.2f, good) 23 days ago. Flat winner prior to that and hopefully that was just a blip.

Form: 60595-1

(3)

Filey Bay^h,t²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Mr Alan O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: E Mullins| OR: 84| D

7/1

Lightly-raced winner on Flat. Smart winner at 17f over hurdles. Respectable fourteenth of 25 in handicap (33/1) at the Curragh (16f, good) 29 days ago, left poorly placed on return from 21 months off. That efforts suggests he retains ability and market will be useful here.

Form: 8164/0

(1)

Mon Coeur²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Mr D Doyle⁽⁷⁾| T: J G Murphy| OR: 84| C| D

12/1

Course winner at this meeting in 2023. 20/1, respectable eleventh of 25 in handicap at the Curragh (16f, good) 29 days ago, not ideally placed. In better heart than form figures would suggest.

Form: 1705/60

(11)

Ragmans Corner¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Mr D G Lavery| T: G Keane| OR: 83| BF| CD

25/1

1 win from 3 runs this year. 9/4, good third of 8 in handicap at Killarney (16.8f, good to soft) 13 days ago. Stays well but this is a deeper race.

Form: 450-313

(14)

Wahraan^h,t1³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Mr K P Healy⁽⁷⁾| T: J Bedi| OR: 83

125/1

Unreliable sort. 28/1, eighth of 10 in handicap at Chelmsford City (10f) 39 days ago. First run for yard after leaving Jamie Osborne. Hood back on, tongue strap on 1st time. Difficult ask.

Form: 61-9988

Non-Runners

(23)

Not Just Any Eagle¹⁹

Weight: 10-12| Age: 6

T: P J Flynn J: Reserve 1

(12)

Happy Jacky¹⁷

Weight: 10-12| Age: 11

T: M Fahey J: Reserve 2

(21)

Jacovec Cavern⁶³

Weight: 10-12| Age: 6

T: P Hennessy J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Too Bossy For Us (7/2), Comfort Zone (5/1), Toll Stone (6/1), Filey Bay (7/1), Royal Hollow (9/1), Familiar Dreams (10/1), Mon Coeur (12/1), War Rooms (16/1), Dawn Rising (18/1), Zoffman (18/1), Plontier (20/1), Happy Jacky (20/1), Falcon Eight (22/1), Westminster Moon (22/1), Ragmans Corner (25/1), Jacovec Cavern (25/1), Not Just Any Eagle (25/1), Fairbanks (28/1), Riviera Queen (33/1), God Of Thunder (40/1), Weston (40/1), The Shunter (66/1), Wahraan (125/1)

A big field but the eye is drawn to TOO BOSSY FOR US having left his British Flat form well behind when an excellent second in a big-field handicap at the Curragh a month ago. Emmet Mullins has a trio of interesting runners, with Toll Stone perhaps the pick of them, while at longer odds, Westminster Moon is very well handicapped on his German form and represents very shrewd connections.