18:40 Galway

Wednesday 2 August 2023

All17:1017:4018:1018:4019:1519:5020:20

Tote Galway Plate (Grade 3 Handicap Chase)

Off time: 18:46 | Winning time: 5m 37.08s

Hewick^p⁷⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 167| CD

14/1

Top-class chaser who won the bet365 Gold Cup in 2022. Even better form last season, winning this race (off 12 lb lower), Grade 1 hurdle in the US and Grade 2 chase at Sandown. Shaped as if still in good form when fourth in Group 1 hurdle at Auteuil in May. Must be respected.

Form: 1U1F1-4

Kilcruit^t⁷⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 160

11/2

Posted a borderline high-class effort when making a winning handicap debut on only his fourth chase start in valuable event at the Punchestown Festival in April. Failed to stay back over hurdles in Group 1 at Auteuil (25f) following month. Big run expected.

Form: 4/1351-0

Easy Game⁵⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 159| C

11/1

Superbly placed to win 8 of his last 9 starts. Badly hampered when tenth in this last year. Shortlisted.

Form: 10111-1

Fury Road^p,t⁹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 155| D

16/1

Grade 2 winner at Down Royal last season and also placed in a couple of Grade 1s. On a good mark on those efforts back in a handicap.

Form: 1336F5-

Lifetime Ambition¹⁰⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 155

16/1

Grade 3 winner as a novice. Failed to win last season but was third in the John Durkin and was jumping superbly up with the pace in the Grand National only for luck to desert him (loose horse veered right into his path approaching first Valentine's). Shortlisted.

Form: 42343U-

Andy Dufresne^t⁹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 150

40/1

Potentially on a good mark but arrives on the back of a disappointing campaign. Leap of faith required.

Form: F/3788U-

Final Orders²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: Sean Flanagan| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 149| D

14/1

Has been nothing short of a revelation for these connections and completed a 5-timer over fences in valuable 2m handicap at Leopardstown. Shaped as if still in form in the Grand Annual before taking a heavy fall in the Topham at Aintree. Proved his well-being when scoring back on Flat last month.

Form: 11115F-

Enniskerry^t⁴¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: B Connell| OR: 148| C

7/1

Smart chaser. Career best when winning 7-runner Gr 3 chase at Roscommon (16.1f, good, 5/2) in September. Failed to give his running in Grade 1 at Fairyhouse in December but confirmed well-being when making a winning Flat debut 6 weeks ago, creating a very good impression. Remains unexposed.

Form: 28/011P-

Visionarian²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: D F O'Regan| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 148| C

18/1

Excellent first season over fences, winning a Grade 3 and placed in a couple of Grade 1s. Probably needed the run back over hurdles last month and opening mark in this sphere looks a fair one.

Form: 12263-0

Ciel De Neige^b¹¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: Mark Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 147

22/1

Progressive as a novice chaser, winning 3 on the spin. Failed to hit the target last season but hinted at a revival before unseated rider 2 out in Topham Chase at Aintree when last seen. Not taken lightly.

Form: 125/07U-

Foxy Jacks^p¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-6| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁵⁾| T: M F Morris| OR: 147

16/1

Patchy record over fences and has plenty of miles on the clock but at least arrives on the back of a career-best win at Kilbeggan (25f, soft) 19 days ago.

Form: 5F0U-21

Authorized Art^p⁷⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 146

14/1

Completed hat-trick over fences in Grade 3 at Tipperary in October. Just the one decent effort since, however, Headgear refitted.

Form: 114456-

The Goffer⁹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Donagh Meyler| T: G Elliott| OR: 146

16/1

Much improved switched to fences last term, winning valuable event at Leopardstown in February and excellent fourth in the Ultima at Cheltenham. Pulled up in Irish National at Fairyhouse but back on track when fourth in bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown. Still only a 6-y-o so may have more to offer still.

Form: 2314P4-

Ash Tree Meadow^t²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: Danny Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 145

13/2

Developed into a useful chaser last season, winning 3 times before good fourth in this off a similar mark (rider dropped whip early in straight). Couple of recent spins (over hurdles/on the Flat) should put him spot on for this.

Form: 11422-2

A Wave Of The Sea^p²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Simon Torrens| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 143

16/1

Useful chaser. Failed to win last season but finished an honourable ninth in the Grand National. Shaped encouragingly back over hurdles last month.

Form: P03P9-4

Gabbys Cross¹⁰⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 143| CD

20/1

Won handicap over C&D at this meeting last summer off 6 lb lower and shaped up well in good races later in the season. Had little go right in the Grand National final start.

Form: 15683U-

Fighter Allen^t⁶⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-1| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 142

33/1

Winning hurdler, one-time useful chaser. Out of sorts.

Form: 1F/4PP-3

Hollow Games^t⁹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-1| J: Sam Ewing| T: G Elliott| OR: 142| D

9/1

Useful hurdler who looked a natural when making a winning chase bow at Navan in November. Highly tried next 2 starts before back on track when fourth in handicap at the Punchestown Festival. Surely more to come from him in this sphere back up in trip.

Form: 35/14P4-

Hurricane Georgie¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: C P McNamara| T: G Elliott| OR: 141

50/1

Three wins from 9 runs last season but just going through the motions of late, 19½ lengths fourth of 13 to Foxy Jacks in handicap chase at Kilbeggan (25f, soft) 19 days ago.

Form: 572-284

Lieutenant Command^p⁹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Cian Quirke⁽⁵⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 140| C

50/1

Won 9-runner handicap chase at Leopardstown (21.4f, good) in March but struggled off revised mark at Punchestown following month.

Form: F/F5P16-

Upping The Anti¹¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 139

33/1

Useful chaser who ran creditably up in grade when 13 lengths second in Gr 3 chase (14/1) at Thurles (18f, soft) in March but jumping once again let him down when falling heavily in the Topham at Aintree the following month.

Form: 13FB2F-

Born By The Sea²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Phillip Enright| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 138| CD

33/1

Useful handicap chaser who seemed to excel himself from out of the weights when sixth in the Grand National at Aintree. Had a pipe opener back on the Flat last month.

Form: 530506-

Non-Runners

Gevrey¹¹⁴

Weight: 10-0| Age: 7

T: G Elliott J: Non Runner

Hereditary Rule⁹⁸

Weight: 10-0| Age: 8

T: J C McConnell J: Non Runner

Vina Ardanza⁴⁴

Weight: 10-0| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Kilcruit (11/2), Ash Tree Meadow (13/2), Enniskerry (7/1), Hollow Games (9/1), Easy Game (11/1), Authorized Art (14/1), Hewick (14/1), Final Orders (14/1), A Wave Of The Sea (16/1), The Goffer (16/1), Lifetime Ambition (16/1), Fury Road (16/1), Gevrey (16/1), Foxy Jacks (16/1), Visionarian (18/1), Gabbys Cross (20/1), Ciel De Neige (22/1), Born By The Sea (33/1), Upping The Anti (33/1), Fighter Allen (33/1), Hereditary Rule (33/1), Vina Ardanza (33/1), Andy Dufresne (40/1), Hurricane Georgie (50/1), Lieutenant Command (50/1)

Ultra-competitive but KILCRUIT looked an ideal type for this when scoring at the Punchestown Festival in impressive fashion, so earns the vote. Enniskerry and Hollow Games are unexposed chasers who surely have more to offer, while Fury Road is on a good mark on the pick of his form in Grade 1s.