‘Odds of 10-1 will do me just fine’ – David Jennings’ Galway Plate runner-by-runner expert guide
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A maximum field of 22 face the starter for the Tote Galway Plate, one of the summer showpieces over jumps, and deputy Ireland editor David Jennings delivers his runner-by-runner guide for what promises to be a thrilling battle at Ballybrit.
David Jennings’s view It just doesn’t seem right that Senecia has top weight in a Galway Plate. That is probably being a bit unfair to a horse who beat El Fabiolo at Navan less than 18 months ago but if he can give weight away to everything here then Vincent Halley should take over from Micheal Martin and run the country because it would prove he can do absolutely anything.
Star rating *
Trainer’s view Vincent Halley: “We decided to keep him fresh for this after he won at Killarney and that was a nice prep for him where he had some good horses behind him. It’s always difficult off top weight but we have to give it a go. Things didn’t work out for him in the race last year, but that’s the nature of the race. You need a bit of luck.”
Jky: Mr J C Barry Tnr: Vincent Laurence Halley
DJ’s view He was the chief sufferer in the shambles of a start to this race last year. He has been pretty consistent since then but the worry is whether he is quick enough to stay in contention over this trip. He was ninth in the Grand National this year and Kevin Healy’s 7lb claim gives him an each-way squeak.
Star rating ***
Trainer’s view Gordon Elliott: “He finished eighth in the race last year but he was beaten at the start and I wouldn’t give up on him.”
Jky: Kevin Healy (7lb)Tnr: Gordon Elliott
DJ’s view Spare a thought for commentator Jerry Hannon, who is probably going to have to pronounce his name quite a bit on the way around. He’s the choice of Paul Townend and has blatantly obvious claims. He won the novice handicap chase at Punchestown that is always a cracking trial for this and could be a Grade 1 horse running in a handicap. The only real negative is the price.
Star rating ***
Jky: Paul Townend Tnr: W P Mullins
DJ’s view Gorgeous by name, but a mark of 149 is not so appealing. Darragh O’Keeffe prefers stablemate Downmexicoway and so do I.
Star rating **
Trainer’s view Henry de Bromhead: “He ran really well in the Coral Gold Cup and then was probably a bit disappointing in the Grand National but I’m hoping this race will suit him.”
Jky: Patrick M O’Brien (5lb)Tnr: Henry De Bromhead
DJ’s view Gavin Cromwell has yet to win the Galway Plate, which is hard to believe, but this seven-year-old gives him a cracking chance. He won the Topham at Aintree and has presumably been kept aside for this ever since. He won a novice chase around here in October too and I couldn’t possibly put you off.
Star rating ***
Trainer’s view Gavin Cromwell: “He’s going into the race off the back of winning the Topham but is on a career-high mark. He’s had the experience of a couple of runs over fences around the track, including a win, which is a positive. We’ve trained him for the race but it won’t be easy for him off his mark.”
Jky: Keith Donoghue Tnr: Gavin Cromwell
DJ’s view What a legend. He has been runner-up in two Galway Hurdles and a Galway Plate. He’s now 2lb lower than when chasing home Western Fold in this race last year and comes alive every time he gets to Ballybrit. It feels like he’s about 18 years of age, but he’s still only ten. How is that even possible?
Star rating ***
Trainer’s view Noel Meade: “He’s in good form. We’re happy with him going there. I feel he had his chance last year and I can’t really see him being any better than he was then. It’s going to be a tough ask because there are youngsters coming along and maybe a couple who are well in. I’m hoping we have a good run.”
Jky: Sam Ewing Tnr: Noel Meade
DJ’s view He beat Will The Wise around here in October and warmed up for this by scoring at Kilbeggan last month. Whether he’s good enough to land a race like this off a mark of 145 is debatable but it wouldn’t be the biggest shock if he won. At the same time, I’d be surprised.
Star rating **
Trainer’s view Eoin Griffin: ” He’s in good order. It’s competitive and he needs to turn around form with a couple of them but he has course form and hopefully he can do himself justice. The ground is probably perfect for him as long as they don’t get too much rain. I’d like to think that this trip is right up his alley.”
Jky: Ricky Doyle Tnr: Eoin Griffin
DJ’s view He was sent off 7-2 favourite for this two years ago and maybe that was his best shot of winning a Plate. His finest hour arrived in the 2024 Paddy Power at Leopardstown but he hasn’t seemed the same horse in the past year, although his latest Kilbeggan spin was a big step back in the right direction. What a confidence-booster this would be for Harry Cobden were he to pick up a Plate so early into his new job.
Star rating ***
Trainer’s view Gavin Cromwell: “It was great to see him run a lovely race in the Midlands National last time because he hadn’t run well in quite a while. I’m a bit concerned that maybe he was staying on past tired horses, so I’m not losing the run of myself with that one performance. But he’s come out of it well and hopefully he can go well.”
Jky: Harry Cobden Tnr: Gavin Cromwell
DJ’s view Now we’re talking. This one’s lightly raced, unexposed over the trip and appears to have been trained for the race. Given how much went wrong in the Plate at Cheltenham, he did remarkably well to finish fourth. I think he will relish this stiffer test and a mark of 143 might just underestimate him. Odds of 10-1 will do me just fine.
Star rating *****
Trainer’s view Henry de Bromhead: “This is his first time at this trip but he ran well at Cheltenham over two and a half miles, so hopefully it’ll suit him.”
Jky: Darragh O’Keeffe Tnr: Henry De Bromhead
DJ’s view He achieved an awful lot in a short space of time over hurdles as his mark soared from 123 to 154 in the blink of an eye. His chasing career started well but it hasn’t panned out as well recently. He could be dangerous off a mark of 143 at a track where he’s 1-1. More positives than negatives for his prospects.
Star rating ****
Trainer’s view Declan Queally: “He seems right in himself and if he comes back to his old form he should have a good chance. He was probably a bit heavy going to Roscommon but he’s fitter now. He has won around Galway and I think they’ve done a good job watering the track there.”
Jky: Michael Kenneally (5lb)Tnr: Declan Queally
DJ’s view He was bought to win a Galway Plate and looks a shrewd purchase. He was last seen finishing third to Western Fold in a Grade 1 novice chase at the Punchestown festival for Ray Hackett. Gordon Elliott has been complimentary towards him in the lead-up to the race and he’s just the sort of unexposed stayer you need for this race. You’re daft if you don’t treat him with huge respect.
Star rating ***
Trainer’s view Gordon Elliott: “We don’t know an awful lot about him as he hasn’t been with us that long, but we bought him for an American owner with a plan of going over there with him at some stage. I think he’s got a beautiful weight on his back. He’s the unexposed horse of ours in the race and he’s at the right end of the weights.”
Jky: Jack Kennedy Tnr: Gordon Elliott
DJ’s view He has come alive and the manner of his recent Cork victory over hurdles was easy on the eye. He was sent off 7-2 favourite for the Cesarewitch on the Flat at Newmarket last year, running well to take fifth, and is a versatile sort who hasn’t run over fences since this meeting two years ago. A mark of 142 seems stiff enough.
Star rating **
Trainer’s view Charles Byrnes: “He’s won his last two races but we’d have liked to have run him in a handicap chase before this. A good start will be vital for him. It’s two years since he last ran in a chase, which is a slight concern, but we have a good, experienced rider.”
Jky: Phillip Enright Tnr: C Byrnes
DJ’s view Nine years of age? How is that even possible? It feels like he’s been around since about 1963. He has been some money-spinner over the years but it is hard to see him winning a Galway Plate, even with the Ballybrit magician Danny Gilligan on his back. If he pulls this rabbit out of the hat, he goes above Paul Daniels in my pecking order.
Star rating *
Trainer’s view Gordon Elliott: “He’s been a great horse over the years and won lots of nice races. He seems in good form and we all know how good Danny is around here so, hopefully, he gets a good spin off this chap.”
Jky: Danny Gilligan Tnr: Gordon Elliott
DJ’s view He was a revelation at the Punchestown festival when scampering away with a Grade 3 but was punished with a 10lb rise. He had a solid warm-up for this at Wexford, but others might be classier.
Star rating ***
Trainer’s view Henry de Bromhead: “He ran well at Wexford, where it seemed a little bit sharp for him on that ground, so we’re hoping the longer trip will suit him.”
Jky: Mike O’Connor Tnr: Henry De Bromhead
DJ’s view He was rated 155 once upon a time. That time was more than two years ago, though, when second in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree’s Grand National meeting. Recent form suggests he’s not the force of old. Next, please.
Star rating *
Jky: Sean Flanagan Tnr: Paul John Gilligan
DJ’s view He must have some sort of a squeak if you go by his fine effort in the Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase at Cheltenham when fourth to Meetmebythesea. He looked as though he had never seen in a fence in his life when only sixth after being sent off 7-4 favourite for the Grade 3 at Punchestown won by Nouvotic. This is a big day for Daniel King. Tony Martin has been comparing him to Ruby Walsh lately.
Star rating ***
Jky: Daniel King Tnr: W P Mullins
DJ’s view Will he stay? Will he settle? Will he be good enough even if he does settle and stay? I think the answer is no.
Star rating *
Trainer’s view Gordon Elliott: “He’s had a couple of wind operations but has been disappointing. The step up in trip might give him a chance to breathe a bit better but, if I’m being honest, he could struggle.”
Jky: Joshua Halford (7lb)Tnr: Gordon Elliott
DJ’s view Another of the Closutton clan. He beat Ballygunner Castle at Naas and then was third to Funiculi Funicula at Punchestown. He’s open to more improvement after only four starts over fences despite being nine. I can’t see it myself, but I’ve been wrong before. Once.
Star rating **
Jky: Brian Hayes Tnr: W P Mullins
DJ’s view Enda Bolger has never won the Galway Plate but this eight-year-old gives him a squeak. He jumps like a buck and beat Perceval Legallois in the Midlands National at Kilbeggan last time. There might be a few others better treated than him.
Star rating **
Jky: Aidan Kelly Tnr: E Bolger
DJ’s view This is Johnny Dineen’s fancy, despite the fact he is a maiden over fences. He is 0-4 in this sphere, but the potential is there to laugh at a mark like 138. Lurking in the long grass.
Star rating ***
Jky: Danny Mullins Tnr: W P Mullins
DJ’s view Dermot McLoughlin has won a few Irish Grand Nationals and now he’s seeking a first Galway Plate. This one bolted up at the Punchestown festival over 3m and a 6lb rise is more than fair. Don’t rule out a big run.
Star rating ***
Trainer’s view Dermot McLoughlin: “He won well at Punchestown and we’ve targeted him at this ever since. He won’t be able to forfeit the amount of ground he did at Punchestown around here but he’s in great form and goes there with a chance.”
Jky: J J Slevin Tnr: Dermot A McLoughlin
DJ’s view He doesn’t particularly like winning. He has a solitary success to his name in almost three years and is 1-12 over fences. He is likely to be one of the last off the bridle coming out of the two fences in the dip but that doesn’t mean he will win. The hustle and bustle of a Galway Plate is made for him, though, and Alan O’Sullivan’s 5lb claim is another bonus. His stamina will be stretched but 25-1 each-way is smashing value.
Star rating ****
Jky: Alan O’Sullivan (5lb)Tnr: Paul Nolan
David Jennings’ Galway Plate 1-2-3 prediction
2 Conyers Hill
3 Rocky’s Diamond
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