Doubles for Dermot Weld and Tony Martin got the 2013 Galway Races off to a flying start on Monday evening, with bookmakers taking a battering early on as Diplomat, Aladdins Cave and Mustajeeb threw up three winning favourites on the bounce to kick off proceedings.
The layers clawed some of their losses later on the card, especially with the defeat of supposed bumper ‘good thing’ Marty’s Magic, but nonetheless there were some pretty happy looking punters staggering out of the Ballybrit track and onwards for a night on Shop Street after the last.
The crowd was marginally up on 2012 at 17,989, while turnover in the ring was down by roughly €179,000 at €1,233,743.
If it’s not enough to look forward to with six more days of this to come, then there’s also the small matter of what’s occurring on the Sussex Down between now and Saturday, with Glorious Goodwood getting into full swing this afternoon.
Richard Hannon holds a strong hand with three runners in the bet365 Lennox Stakes at 3.05pm (live on Channel 4).
The best of those looks to be Dutch Art four year old Producer, the mount of Richard Hughes.
Today’s seven furlongs is very much his trip, he’s unbeaten in his only start at the track – a Group 3 strike last August, and is clearly on top of his game after winning well at Newmarket last time, seeing off the re-opposing Pastoral Player and Libranno.
What about favourite Aljamaheer?
His Queen Anne second and Summer Mile win are glittering additions to the cv, but you can make a strong argument that his best trip is at a mile nowadays, while his last defeat came at today’s trip at the hands of Producer at Leicester in April.
Both have improved since then, but Producer is taken to uphold that form line at 9/2 with either bet365 or Paddy Power.
Here in Galway the man they call DK has five runners and all are favourite, but one race he can’t win as he doesn’t have a representative is the 2m 6f Latin Quarter Chase at 5.40pm (live on RTE2), in which I’m sweet on the chances of the Mouse Morris-trained Rathlin.
He’s been freshened up with a 62 day break after jumping with real fluency to win easily at Punchestown at the end of May, and can bag this softer target after opting for today’s contest instead of tomorrow’s Galway Plate.
Chief rival Hidden Cyclone hasn’t seen the track since February and arrives off the back of a fall, while Woolcombe Folly represents Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh and has a huge shout on the figures, but hasn’t won since 2010 and usually finds at least one too good.
The 15/8 available with Betfred about Rathlin is the way to go.
The big race of the night in Galway is the Topaz Mile at 6.45pm, in which a field of 18 will slug it out over an extended mile for a €69,000 pot.
Johnny Murtagh has the midas touch in the saddle at present, but it’s training responsibilities that concern him here, with St Leger winning pilot Niall McCullagh aboard this four year old Royal Applause gelding Campanology.
Twice a winner when with Richard Hannon, this lad ran really well on his penultimate start at the Curragh in May, and has a very good draw in stall three.
You could do worse than risk a little each way on him at the 16/1 available with Ladbrokes.
As David Jennings writes in a cracking piece in today’s Racing Post: “Goodwood for lunch, Galway for dinner. Not the worst diet in the world.”
I hear you my friend, especially with tonight’s Injured Jockeys Fund Galway Plate and Hurdle preview night still to come at the end of a great day.
If you’re in town and at a loose end come and support a great cause – it kicks off at 9.45pm at McHugh’s pub and restaurant in Castlegar, run by internationally acclaimed chef and punter John ‘The Carver’ Kelly, no more than a kilometre from the course.
Alongside Shark Hanlon, Niall McCullagh, Tracy Piggott, and Paddy Power, I’ll be trying to unearth the winners of the two big races, with free bets and some great quiz prizes too.
Half tempted? It’s free to get in, the bar’s open til 2am and there’s live music from world famous performer Tony Coyne after the panel has done its bit.
Good luck & hope to see some of you tonight.
Tuesday’s best bets at Galway and Goodwood:
3.05 Goodwood – bet365 Lennox Stakes – 9 Producer (win) @ 9/2 (bet365 or Paddy Power)
5.40 Galway – Latin Quarter Chase – 3 Rathlin (win) @ 15/8 (Betfred)
6.45 Galway – Topaz Mile Handicap – 10 Campanology (each way) @ 16/1 (Ladbrokes)
