Owner JP McManus has a strong hand in the Tote Galway Plate on Wednesday evening with four runners and it looks significant that Mark Walsh has sided with Perceval Legallois.
Gavin Cromwell’s charge appears to tick a lot of boxes in the showpiece off a nice racing weight.
The race has been won by quite a few horses coming out of their novice seasons and it’s remarkable how many have claimed it aged seven in recent years.
This Ballingarry gelding also has course form in the book having taken his beginners’ chase in fine style at the October meeting here last year.
He was last seen in action when chasing home Hgranca De Thaix in a valuable novice handicap at the Punchestown Festival, when the front two pulled clear of the field.
The fact that he won over three miles over timber suggests there could be a bit more improvement to come at this distance over fences.
Also in the famous green and gold colours is the English raider In Excelsis Deo and it’s no surprise to see him also towards the top of the market in ante-post betting.
He’s another French import and comes here fresh as well having last been seen recording a cosy victory at Cheltenham in April.
The Harry Fry-trained gelding saw out an extended two-and-a-half miles well then and going a bit further could also be a plus.
Last year’s winner Ash Tree Meadow is one for Gordon Elliott.
He has a lot more weight than last year and despite Alex Harvey taking off 7lb he still looks to have a tough task.
Jack Kennedy takes the mount on Zanahiyr, who kept good company in his novice campaign and could be nicely treated now in a handicap over fences.
It’s another wide open renewal of the race but Perceval Legallois fits the profile of recent winners and gets the vote.
Willie Mullins has a great record in the opening maiden hurdle and has three in the race this year.
It may pay to go against him though with the Martin Brassil-trained Don’tstopthemusic.
This Kayf Tara gelding is a bit of a late bloomer and makes his return to jumping now having won a Punchestown bumper at the Festival meeting in early May.
He pulled away in good style then to score by six lengths having been well-backed for that contest.
It was his first outing since finishing second in a bumper here last summer and he has had plenty of time between his runs, having made his debut over hurdles at Leopardstown the previous Christmas.
Brassil revealed after his win that he had been working with Fastorslow and has always been highly regarded.
The amateur maiden is an interesting race and the progressive mare Redwood Queen gets the vote on her debut under Flat rules.
She comes here in flying form having won four of her last five outings over timber and has climbed 40lb in the ratings over hurdles in the past year.
Ray Barron takes 5lb off her back and she should have plenty of pace over this mile-and-a-half trip.
One that catches the eye in the concluding two-mile handicap is Jacovec Cavern on his first outing for Emmet Mullins.
The Sixties Icon gelding was a decent handicapper in England and joins Mullins now having been campaigned over jumps last year by Paul Hennessy.
SELECTIONS
4.50 Don’tstopthemusic
5.25 Cave Court
6.00 Enfranchise
6.40 Redwood Queen
7.10 Perceval Legallois (Nap)
7.45 Thor’s Hammer
8.15 Jacovec Cavern (Dbl)
