Goodwood 1:50
0.5 point each way Baltic Voyage 20/1 Bet365 else 18/1 generally, 5 places.
Hollie Doyles has her first rides this year at this festival and might surprise with Baltic Voyage. The ground went heavy today and will remain soft or worse tomorrow. Baltic Voyage did well to win at Ripon as he was stuck in a pocket and had to fight for space before coming through to win well. He stays well at this trip, enjoys soft going and carries a lovely low weight of 8-5.
Galway 3:20
0.5 point each way Kojin 20/1 Skybet 6 places else 25/1 Bet365, 5 places.
The ground is drying out all the time at Galway which is positive news for Kojin. Kojin has run twice at Galway and placed on both runs. He stays well and beat The Very Man over 1m4f on good ground at Tramore last season. Next time out at Clonmel he won again when rated 81 with Sam Ewing claiming 3lbs.
We can ignore his runs on soft or heavy ground as that is not his ground at all. The handicapper has dropped him down to a mark of 80 which is a pound below his last winning mark. Peter Fahey is a good target trainer and this race on Galway Hurdle Day looks to have been the long-term plan with Declan McDonagh booked to ride.
Galway 3:20
0.5 point each way Inchturk 14/1 Skybet 6 places else 14/1 generally, 5 places.
Inchturk is another horse who will appreciate the drying ground at Galway. He came on my radar last summer when quickening clear of the field with Moe Sedway to win a Gowran mile maiden by a head. Three runs on testing ground didn’t see him run well but I thought he showed promise when fourth at Killarney off a break a fortnight ago. A mark of 80 is fine and I think this unexposed son of Le Harve could well post a career best for trainer combo Mick Halford & Tracey Collins.
Galway 5:05
0.5 point each way Filey Bay 6/1 William Hill, 6 places else 13/2 Bet365, 5 places.
Filey Bay has made rapid progress since joining the Emmett Mullins yard. JP McManus purchased this horse before the Betfair hurdle following two wins in the UK. He ran a cracker at Newbury when just failing to catch Aucunrisque who enjoyed an easy time up front. Filey Bay backed up that Newbury run off an 8lb higher mark placing third in the County hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
The County Hurdle form is as good as you could bring into this race outside of Graded races. Filey Bay has proven twice that he can perform in competitive big field handicaps. Simon Torrens rides with Mark Walsh booked on Brazil which is a bit surprising. Nevertheless, I think Filey Bay will improve again on his 7th hurdling start and only finishing once outside the first three in those races.
Galway 5:05
0.5 point each way Mighty Tom 16/1 Bet365 5 places else 14/1 William Hill 6 places.
Mighty Tom has always been highly regarded but seems to have reached new heights since switching yards. When trained by Tom Cooper this free going type always raced on the front end so it was difficult for him when not getting his own way up front. In these very competitive big field handicap hurdle races, it’s vital to have plenty of petrol in the tank for the finish. New trainer Cian Michael Collins has decided to ride Mighty Tom cold out the back during the early part of his races.
At the Punchestown Festival he settled nicely out the back and then came with a sweeping move around the field and final turn pulling double. A slow jump at the final hurdle along with the trip of 2m3f found him out and his run flattened out to the line. That was a Grade B handicap and one of the major handicap at the Punchestown Festival each season. Denis O’Regan rode again at Killarney in a listed handicap hurdle and once again Mighty Tom showed speed to round the field and got there two furlongs from home! He saw out the 2m1f trip at Killarney easily winning comfortably. The handicapper has upped him 11lbs to 139 but the key is the way this horse is settling and ridden. He will need a bit of luck around Galway and carries a decent weight of 11-2.
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**Next Selections due Date & Time
Thursday Night 2nd August ~20:00
