It’s been a frustrating week at Galway, we’ve been knocking on the door all week with plenty of placed horses and hopefully HIGHTIMEYOUWON can get us among the winners in the O'Leary Insurances Handicap at 3.45.
Dermot Weld’s charge is drawn one here for his handicap debut and had some very good maiden form to his name last year. After a break of 13 months he made a winning reappearance at Naas in late June beating a subsequent winner in Papa Bear.
That was over an inadequate six furlongs where he came home well having hit a flat spot and the step up to an extended mile here will really suit. I think he still has some upside from a rating 83 and can go very close.
The Galway Shopping Centre Handicap at 5.15 is ultra-competitive. Princess Zoey won here on Monday and makes a quick return but I like WAR DIARY.
Mick Halford’s charge was second to stablemate Rayounpour on debut for his new connections in the Cork Derby, beaten less than two lengths.
The winner went on to win a Premier Handicap at the Curragh and the third, fourth and fifth have all gone in since too. It’s strong form and War Diary was fourth in this race last year from a two pound lower mark.
He was trapped wide throughout that day and challenged down the hill, doing well to get as close as he did. He beat Sea The Lion in a good race at the Curragh in 2019 and is dangerous here if coming forward for his first start for all stall 12 isn’t ideal.
Dark Voyager is favourite for the closing McDonogh Capital Investments Handicap having chased home Flying Scotsman here on Monday. Clearly the form is strong with the winner going in since but SON OF HYPNOS also ran well in that race and looks the wrong price.
He was eventually beaten six lengths into fourth but that doesn’t tell the whole story as he has made ground rapidly from the rear to challenge wide before tiring in the final furlong. In contrast the winner had a smooth passage down the inside.
The selection gets the ten pounds weight-for-age allowance and looks too big at 14/1 with Dark Voyager a 7/4 chance.
Finally SNOW is worth chancing to turn over Enbihaar in the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood.
Again the weight-for-age allowance is a factor and I also think this is a very good crop of three-year-old fillies in Ireland. Aidan O’Brien’s charge won the Munster Oaks before being used as a pace angle in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh.
She’s talented and will relish this step up in trip being a full-sister to Kew GArdens.
Preview posted 1115 BST on 01/08/2020
