5.10 James's Gate Irish EBF Median Auction Maiden
Coral Beach, the 80-rated O'Brien filly, has her own ideas about racing. She would not go by the winner at Fairyhouse and, while Pepperoni Pete was in arrears that day, he was the Ger Lyons second-string and he was ridden for education on what was his racecourse debut.
Pepperoni Pete is a half-brother to three winners and Lyons is, as ever, in good form. However, there are ample dangers here, including Zuenoon, the grey Dermot Weld-trained colt. Beaten only two lengths at Limerick, he certainly needs to find improvement in a race of this nature.
Cosmic Horizon did not set the world alight at Bellewstown but likely there is a good deal more to come from this son of the useful Flavia Tatiana and note that he is owned by one Joe Schmidt. He can improve enough to score.
Selection: Cosmic Horizon
5.45 Arthur Guinness Handicap
A tricky race, as most of these have little or no handicap experience, so the market is really informative. Even so, despite the difficulty of analysing it, the last five winners were relatively short prices: 5-1, 7-1, 5-2, 9-2 and 4-1.
Gizi Gazelle looked extremely well-handicapped when running away from her Tipperary foes when last witnessed publicly in mid-May.
In the County Tipperary Eamonn O'Connell she has an underrated trainer and while she has gone up 13lb in the weights, the rider's claim helps, and she will relish the demands of the three-year-olds' handicap.
Lady Godiva was rather underwhelming at Fairyhouse but perhaps this softer ground will make all the difference and she appeals for place players.
Selections: Gizi Gazelle
6.15 Guinness Irish EBF Fillies Maiden
Dermot Weld has had the sort of week that suggests he is no longer a major Galway force but he got off the mark yesterday and Lure Of The Sea could be another winner.
A daughter of Sea The Stars, she was well-fancied on her Curragh debut behind Tissiak, and the extra distance and bit of ease in the terrain will probably do her no harm here.
She Got Fast has a tongue tie and cheekpieces as Michael O'Callaghan looks to record his first winner of the week. She has a major chance, while Shes Gold – a big price on debut – is one that the bookmakers would be wrong to dismiss. By Jeremy out of a Shantou mare, the more of a slog this turns into the better for her.
Selection: Lure Of The Sea
6.50 Guinness Handicap
A cracking handicap, the feature of day five, and one that looks right up Limini’s street after she failed to score – narrowly – here in Monday’s feature when stablemate Uradel denied her.
She stays on the same mark, which would not be the case were she to run next week; indeed she is actually a whopping 11lb well-in despite being beaten in her last race, which is a rare thing. The drop back in distance looks no inconvenience. She has smart Flat form at a similar trip earlier in her career and rates nap material.
Nessun Dorma, a stablemate of the selection, looks forecast material and he has his share of class. Mawaany, a likeable son of Teofilo, is probably the best place play in the race.
Selection: Limini
7.25 Rockshore Race
A really disappointing renewal with Wicklow Brave having nothing to beat. The son of Beat Hollow accounted for Le Vagabond and Ivanovich Gorbatov by two lengths and a neck respectively, with the three horses clear, at Killarney.
It is hard to recall that Wicklow Brave won a bumper at the festival in 2013. Morga hasn't run since a creditable effort in the Galway Hurdle last year but has the ability to chase home Wicklow Brave and she likes an ease.
Selection: Wicklow Brave
7.55 Guinness Galway Blazers Handicap Steeplechase
The prowess of the Galway Plate is evinced here, with Road To Riches running in the Blazers, traditionally the race for those not good enough for Wednesday’s feature, and even the bottom weight here is rated 123. This race is like what the Plate used to look like.
This is difficult, with the ease in the ground probably not ideal for Top Of The Town and Snugsborough Benny, though his trainer Liam Cusack is not overly concerned and he was a big eye-taker at Down Royal.
Whatever the conditions, they will not inconvenience Mine Now and, despite his lack of experience, at least he likes Galway and competes off a favourable mark relative to his hurdling exploits.
Vieux Morvan has a major chance. In the money in the Paddy Power last season, he warmed up for this with a modest hurdles run but should improve and the track appeals as one to suit Joseph O'Brien's charge.
Selection: Mine Now
8.25 Guinness Handicap Hurdle
The scatter of staying types Joseph O'Brien inherited off his father via JP McManus for juvenile hurdling last season were a collective flop, it must be said, but there is still time and Bhutan is making up some.
He relishes a little cut and looks to be getting his act together over hurdles to judge from his game second at Bellewstown. He remains feasibly weighed and should stay on dourly up the hill here for Mark Walsh.
The ground is a worry for Political Policy, while On The Go Again is sure to be popular for his in-form barn. He has gone up to a mark of 108 on the Flat, rendering his 134 in this sphere look very interesting.
Collateral form gives Golden Jewel an edge over the selection, but he has gone up the weights quite markedly.
Selection: Bhutan
