Hi all,

Inside today’s main piece I’m doing a short preview of the Galway Festival. Plus, there’s my look back the best at Saturday’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

King George Thriller

Due to a couple of high profile disappointments we might not have got the race we wanted but we got a thrilling finish.

The ground had dried out to the easy side of good. Money came in for dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin who was sent off the 9/4 favourite. The favourite was being niggled along five out and found nothing and was soon eased off by Ryan Moore.

As expected, the Aidan O’Brien pair of Point Lonsdale & Bolshoi Ballet dictated the pace. They helped set a solid pace and there was hiding place. The front runners even came off the rail on the turn to give stablemate Luxembourg a dream run on the inner to lead three out but couldn’t take advantage.

Coming to two out Westover hit the front with Hukum and King Of Steel challenging either side. It was Hukum who took it up 1f out.

It was left the two older horses fight out a dualling finish which was reminiscent of Grundy and Bustino back in 1975.

When Hukum nudged to the front I thought he would pull clear but credit to Westover he renewed his challenge to get within a head of the winner at the line.

The first two home pulled clear of the third King Of Steel with Luxembourg back in fourth. 

King Of Steel was travelling best of all coming into the straight and held every chance 2f out but his effort flattened out 1f out. Maybe he’d travelled to strongly and those exertions took their toll in the closing stages. A drop back to 1m 2f would seem ideal for the 3-year-old who was just done for stamina. He was only having his fifth start and is capable of an even bigger performance.

Notable disappointments

I think the conspiracy theorists will have field day after Auguste Rodin’s lifeless run. I’m not sure you can blame the ground. However, yesterday’s good to soft was the sort that some horses just don’t act on.

A more worrying possibility for connections is that horse has inherited a problem from his dam Rhododendron who pulled up in the French Oaks and ran inexplicably badly in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood. They way he stopped so quickly suggested to me that he bled.  If that’s the case. I wonder if he will now be retired.

Last year’s winner Pyledriver didn’t really settle and was beaten 2f out.

Emily Upjohn also disappointed in the race for the second year running. Like 12 months ago she was keen and leaving off the hood for a second race running probably wasn’t a wise move. If we are to see her again on a racecourse you would think the hood will return.

A classy and tough winner

I knew Hukum had the class but inside the final furlong I wondered if he had the toughness to prevail in a driving finish. He had to dig deep and, in the process, proved both classy and game.

Hukum stepped out of the shadow of his full brother Baaeed in winning on Saturday. And he might finally get the recognition he richly deserves.

On personal level I needed Hukum to win to prevent a poor Saturday. Punters seem to desert him though, as he was returned 13/2. I had him down as 4/1 chance, even on drying ground, so 13/2 was very generous price.

Looking at the closing 3f sectional both the winner and runner-up were virtually walking as they crossed the line Both are likely to have had hard races and will need some time to recover.

Take a bow Owen Burrows

Finally, let’s give some credit to a fine training performance by Owen Burrows. He’s been very patient with Hukum whose career had looked over following a serious injury last year.

Burrows pulled Hukum out his intended engagement at Royal Ascot as he didn’t want to risk the horse on very quick ground and that decision was vindicated.

It was a good Saturday for Owen Burrows not only did he train the big race winner, but he also landed the York feature race with Alflaila.

Burrows doesn’t have the biggest of strings but those two winners on Saturday made it 4-8 in the past two weeks.

Hopefully Sheikha Hissa and her Shadwell operation will continue to send him some of their better prospects as he’s proved he’s more than up to the job.

Galway Festival Preview

The Irish certainly don’t racing festivals by halves. Do they?

The Galway Festival gets underway this evening and it’s the first of seven, yes seven days of racing. Without wanting to insult our Irish readers. It’s fair to say that most of the racing is moderate. That's not to say the racing isn't fiendishly competitive and the Galway Plate & Hurdle are as good handicap as you'll see either side of the Irish Sea this week.

Mind you both the Galway Plate and Galway Hurdles are as competitive a handicap as you’ll see this week either side of the Irish Sea.

However, the Galway Festival is more than just a racing festival. It has a long history, dating back to 1869. Making it one of the oldest horse racing events in Ireland, and its heritage and tradition are deeply ingrained in the local culture of the west of Ireland.

Flat track:

A right-handed, undulating track with tight turns and a stiff uphill finish to the line.

Although the flat track is essentially sharp in character due to the tight turns. The finish is one of stiffest in Ireland and can find out doubtful stayers, especially on soft and heavy ground.

A combination of big fields in the handicap races and the tracks configuration means hold up horses need luck in the run.

Jumps track:

The National Hunt course is also right-handed and undulating. Like the flat track there’s an uphill finish.

On the chase course the final two fences are very close together and there’s a run in of two furlongs.

The hurdle course is on the inside of the chase course which makes it even sharper than the chase course and there’s a just a furlong run in after the final hurdle.

Both flat and jumps tracks produce course specialists so form at the track is a big positive.

My Approach To The Galway Festival

Apart from today and next Sunday, Galway is in competition with Goodwood for my attention. My priority is Goodwood. However, that doesn’t mean I won’t look out for potential bets at the Irish course.  Indeed, there have been a few years where my profit had come from Galway rather than Goodwood.

Because I can’t spend the time looking at Galway races, Galway Plate & Hurdle aside, I must find a couple of shortcuts.

Firstly, I don’t bother with the non-handicap races, its handicaps only.

Secondly, I look out for trainer’s who have won the race previously.  Trainers are creatures of habit and like to prepare horses for a win at the Galway Festival.

Finally, I note any horses who have good form at the track preferably form at a previous Galway Festival. Galway is a unique track which produces course specialists.

Trainers:

Willie Mullins

Since 2017 Willie Mullins is top of the trainers leaderboard with 62 winners from 300 runners 21% +36.83, 134 places 45%. He’s 42 winners ahead of his nearest rival Joseph O’Brien which shows his dominance of the meeting in recent seasons. 

Here’s a breakdown of the trainers runners by race code.

Eight of Willie Mullins’ flat winners have come in non-handicap/maiden races.

Granted most of the above profit comes from 28/1 winner last year’s Festival. However, it’s still a solid angle for the trainers runners in such races.

Eighteen of the trainers winners have been ridden by son Patrick who is 18 winners from 39 rides 46% +42 27 placed 69% when combining with his father.

Willie Mullins Galway Angle:

You could probably do worse than back any Willie Mullins runners in non-handicap/maiden races on the flat and anything that Patrick Mullins rides.

Dermot Weld used to be the trainer to follow at the Galway Festival, but he’s only had 13 winners from 118 runners 11% -45.06 43 placed 36% since 2017. It just goes to show how trainer trends can change.

Jockeys:

You might think Galway would jockey specialist track. However, except for Patrick Mullins. I couldn’t really find any jockeys who really excel at the track although Shane Foley & Gavin Ryan seem to be performed better than market expectations at recent Galway Festival’s.

Galway Festival – Day 1

It was yielding, good to yielding on the jumps track and soft on the flat course on Saturday evening. However, the track was forecast to 17mm of rain on Sunday and if that amount does arrive the going will ease considerably.

It’s a mixed card of flat and National Hunt races for the first day of the Galway Festival.  Four of the seven races on the card are handicaps and I’m covering them for Victor Victor subscribers.

Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap (6:40)

There’s €64,900 on offer to the winner of this evenings feature race which is confined to amateur jockey’s.

Given the prize money on offer it normally attracts a big field and this year’s race doesn’t disappoint with twenty set to line up.

Willie Mullins has saddled the winner of the race four times since 2017. He’s declared four for this year’s renewal.

For those interested Patrick Mullins has been booked for one of the leading fancies Lot Of Joy (11/2). The mare was fourth in last year’s race, off 4lb lower and improved again to finish a length 3^rd of 30 in the Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh on her last start on the flat. Stall 16 needn’t be an inconvenience as last year the first four home came out of 21, 22. 11 & 23.

Favourite looks teed up for a big run

Despite her obvious claims Lot of Joy isn’t the ante post favourite. The bookies have made the Emmet Mullins trained Teed Up (7/2) market leader. The 6-year-old runner-up in last year’s November Handicap at Doncaster returned from an 8 month absence to finish a 1 ¾ length 2^nd of 10 at Tramore 20 days ago.

Twice a winner here on the flat for his previous yard he also finished runner-up in a handicap hurdle 12 months ago.

Last year’s second and third Maze Runner and Dutch Schultz are in the line-up.  Dutch Schultz was unlucky in the run 12 months ago and should arguably have finished second.  His sole success came on heavy ground, so any further easing of the ground won’t inconvenience the 6-year-old. A recent spin over hurdles after a 3 month layoff should have put him spot on fitness wise.

Useful juvenile hurdler Cougar is back on the flat for the first time since winning a Curragh maiden (1m 2f) last June for Aidan O’Brien. He’s got stamina to prove but looks on a workable enough mark if he stays.

Despite the obvious claims of Teed Up & Lot Of Joy. It may pay to look away from the market leaders.

In a race where I will probably take two against the field. One of them will be Dutch Shultz who looks each way value at 20/1 & bigger.

Monday Selection:

Dutch Shultz – 25/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes (both paying 5 places).

Good luck with your Monday bets.

John