2020 Galway Day 1 Tips by Dave Stevos

Thankfully Sunday went a lot better for us than Saturday did. Konchek ran another solid race and landed place money in 3rd (adv 8/1). Danielsflyer was denied a clear run and the rain that fell at Ascot did for Protected Guest’s chances. Our 16/1 e/w NAP Golden Apollo ran on well for 2nd but Leo De Fury struggled on the easy ground. Lady Bowthorpe was held up like I hoped and hacked up, advised e/w at 20/1 and won at 12/1 (R4 25p). Craylands was bitterly disappointing. The Galway Festival begins tomorrow and it will be very different affair with no fans there. The racing should still be top quality though, check out Dave Stevos’ 2020 Galway Day 1 Tips below…

Day 1 Galway Selections: 4.10pm – Irish EBF Maiden (2yo)

The opening race of the week at Ballybrit is a 7f maiden for 2yo colts and geldings. The one that looks overpriced here is Rebel Step for Andy Slattery and Ben Coen. With plenty of rain around on Sunday night conditions are likely to suit this son of Tamarkuz. He ran really well on his debut at Naas (6f sft) finishing 3rd, beat just over 4L.

Slattery stepped his colt up to 7f for his next start at Leopardstown, this time on good. He could only manage 6th on this occasion and things probably just happened a bit too quickly for him on the ground. He was well behind the leaders that day but he kept on well and was far from disgraced. This horse is bred to be a decent 2yo and his brother Rebel Tale was placed in a G2 last season over 7f.

Most interesting of all is his owner’s record with his runners at Galway. He has had a total of 10 runners at the track in the past with 2 winners and 5 top 4s (frame hitting strike rate of 70%). That suggests that Slattery may have had this race in mind for this horse and at odds of 14/1 Rebel Step looks well worth chancing each way.

2020 Galway Day 1 Tips: Rebel Step E/W @ 14/1 NAP

2020 Galway Day 1 Tips: 4.40pm – Handicap (50-80)

The first flat handicap of the week at Galway looks typically competitive heat for 3yos only. 15 will go to post for this 7f contest and I am going to take a chance on At War for Tom Cooper and Chris Hayes. This is a horse I have had my eye on for some time and I tipped him at big odds at Killarney last summer when 4th (7f gd/yld). This will be his first start on soft ground and his pedigree suggests that it could well suit the son of War Command.

Okay, his sire is perhaps better known for producing fast ground horses but At War is a half brother to a number of soft ground winners. He is still a maiden after 10 starts but he has had plenty of solid placed efforts to his name. At Gowran on his seasonal return he was beat just 0.5L in 3rd and maybe his poor subsequent Curragh run came too soon afterwards. He has a lot more form in the book than some of these and at odds of 18/1 At War is the e/w pick.

2020 Galway Day 1 Tips: At War E/W @18/1 (4 Places)

RTE2 Live Selections: 5.15pm – 7F Handicap Division 1 (50-80)

The one I like here back on an easier surface is Rattling Jewel for Martin Hassett and Wayne Lordan. This 8yo son of Royal Applause is a tricky customer at times but he shaped well on his last two starts at 6f, behind Mokhalad at Naas and then behind Lincoln at Fairyhouse. That trip is a bit short for him these days and you could forgive him his last run over a mile on good ground at Killarney.

The return to 7f looks sure to suit and he is now off a rating of just 65. That is the mark he won off at Listowel last season on his last run at 7f on soft ground. Wayne Lordan has won on him twice and he is an excellent booking. He has a nice draw in stall 6 and with trip and ground to suit Rattling Jewel could go well for e/w players at odds of 25/1.

2020 Galway Day 1 Tips: Rattling Jewel e/w @ 25/1 (4 Places)

2020 Galway Day 1 Tips: 5.45pm – 7F Handicap Division 2 (50-80)

With Shane Crosse claiming a valuable 3lb, She’s A Babe could produce a big run here off 79. Aidan Fogarty’s daughter of Kodiac enjoys a bit of dig in the ground and she ran really well at Bellewstown off 80 (8f yld) the last time Shane Crosse rode. She wasn’t so good last time out dropped to 7f but that was on much better ground at the Curragh.

This 4yo filly’s sole win came in France on soft ground when trained over there. That came as a 2yo over 5f but that trip looks too sharp for her now. On the evidence of her run over a mile at Bellewstown a stiff 7f at a track like Galway could suit. She is a hold up sort so luck will be required but she looks potentially well treated off 79 (76 with jockey’s claim) and at odds of 14/1 she is the each way selection.

2020 Galway Day 1 Tips: She’s A Babe E/W @ 14/1 NB (4 Places)

RTE2 Live Selections: Galway 6.15pm – Easyfix Handicap (50-80)

Things don’t get any easier in this 16 runner 12f handicap. Lariat has yet to hit top form for Ado McGuinness since his arrival but he looks well handicapped now. The 4yo son of Poet’s Voice has had three starts for his new yard and they all came on quick ground at the Curragh. He didn’t impress in any of those runs but the return to softer ground could spark him back to form.

His career form figures on soft ground read 122 and the two placed efforts came off marks in the high 80s. The booking of Ronan Whelan is another big positive. He has 21 wins from 164 rides for McGuinness, as well as another 51 top 4 finishes. Lariat is very well handicapped on his UK form, he is well drawn in stall 4 and the ground will suit. At odds of 40/1 he is a speculative each way selection.

2020 Galway Day 1 Tips: Lariat e/w @ 40/1 (5 Places)

2020 Galway Day 1 Tips: 6.45pm – 16f Premier Handicap (70-100)

The feature on Day 1 at Galway is this 2m Premier Handicap. A maximum field of 20 will go to post and classy hurdler Sharjah is the favourite. He shaped really well behind Dalton Highway when hampered at the Curragh and he is 8lb better off with that rival here. Sharjah wouldn’t want it too soft though, but Dalton Highway has lots of solid form on very testing ground.

One that could go well at a nice enough price is Grandmaster Flash for Joseph O’Brien. Top amateur Barry O’Neill will ride and this horse has a nice draw in stall 5. The son of Australia’s sole career win from 13 starts came at Dundalk last November and he subsequently went close in a 16f handicap at the same track off 85 and then at Chelmsford over 14f off 89.

He didn’t run too badly on his return behind a few of these at the Curragh (16f gd). Joseph O’Brien’s charge improved on that last time over 14f on yielding at the same track. He is now back to a mark of 88, 1lb lower than when narrowly beat by a nose at Chelmsford. His run last time suggests that the easy ground here might suit and at odds of 16/1 Grandmaster Flash is the e/w pick.

2020 Galway Day 1 Tips: Grandmaster Flash e/w @ 16/1 (5 Places)

2020 Galway Day 1 Tips: 7.15pm – 3yo Eventus Handicap (60-90)

Elizabethofaragon makes a quick reappearance after her Ulster Oaks win at Down Royal. She needed every inch of the 10.5f trip that day and stepping back up in distance will suit. Her jockey’s 7lb claim means she is effectively 2lb lower here and once the run doesn’t come too soon she looks the one they all have to beat.

At a big price it could be worth having a couple of quid e/w on Simply True. Trained by a very shrewd handler in Andy Oliver, Ronan Whelan will ride. This son of Camacho loves to get his toe in and this will be his first chance on his preferred ground this season. His last two efforts on good and yielding were solid, if not spectacular. However, conditions should be more up his street this evening. If he stays (plenty of stamina on dam side of pedigree) he could outrun his odds of 22/1.

2020 Galway Day 1 Tips: Simply True e/w @ 22/1