2021 Galway Races Monday Tips by Dave Stevos
2021 Galway Races Monday Tips and Preview
With only 1000 fans allowed to attend each day, the Galway Races just won’t be the same this year. It is an improvement on last year’s situation when it was behind closed doors but unfortunately, we still aren’t back to normality. However, on the racing front it should be as enjoyable as ever. Smaller yards and owners often aim horses at this meeting and there will surely be plots galore. Hopefully Dave Stevos can uncover a couple of them and keep his good recent run (40/1, 33/1 and 11/1 winners last two weeks) going. Check out his 2021 Galway Races Monday tips and preview below.
4.10 – Claregalway Hotel Maiden (7f)
The first race of this year’s Galway Festival is a 7f maiden. Three of the four horses at the head of the market have previous racecourse experience. The bookies’ even money favourite is Anchorage for O’Brien and Heffernan. By Galileo, this colt made a pleasing debut when 3rd of 6 at Naas 3 weeks ago. He was a head behind I Am Magic, who re-opposes today. Michael O’Callaghan’s charge is a bigger price than Anchorage at 7/2 and that will surely tempt a few.
However, I am going to take a chance on one of the unraced ones here. Global Energy, a son of Showcasing, represents Sheila Lavery. She had the runner up in this race a few years back with Quizical and she has a solid record at Galway overall. The Laverys splashed the cash on this horse, shelling out £130k at the Breeze Ups. He really caught the eye and it is interesting that she has waited until now to unleash him.
His half-brother, by Shalaa, is with Roger Varian. He was beat just a head off 93 at Royal Ascot earlier this year in the Holyroodhouse Stakes. His Teofilo dam is related to a Listed placed 2yo and Showcasing is a sire who can produce precocious 2yos. So, hopefully he is sharp enough to do himself justice. He has the plum draw in stall 1 too. At odds of 20/1, hopefully Global Energy can sneak into the money.
2021 Galway Races Monday Tip: Global Energy e/w @ 20/1
4.40 – Clayton Hotel Handicap (7f)
I think Rave N Contagion looks like a horse who has the potential to deliver a big run for the Mulvany team in this 7f race. The son of Raven’s Pass showed promise in a couple of testing ground maidens at Gowran and Naas last season. He was handed a rating of 82 and he struggled on his comeback at the Curragh (7f sft/hvy). The Mulvanys decided to step back into maiden company after that run. He subsequently ran a cracker on yielding ground at Sligo, beat just over 2L into 3rd.
Next time in another maiden at Tipperary he was denied a clear run at a crucial time. Also, I am not sure how much that flat track suited. Limerick was the venue for his next outing in a 6.5f conditions race and again, I am not sure the track was to his liking. This fella’s best runs have come on testing tracks with uphill finishes. This will be his first run on that type of a track since he ran well at Sligo. The tongue tie goes on for the first time today and ‘The Enforcer’, Declan McDonagh, takes the ride. Rave N Contagion won’t mind a drop of rain and as long as he gets a decent start from stall 13, I think he could surprise a few with a big run.
2021 Galway Races Monday Tip: Rave N Contagion e/w @ 25/1 nb (4 places)
5.15 – Galway Bay and Galmont Hotel Handicap (7f)
I don’t usually like backing horses on their handicap debuts. However, I think Yester could be worth making an exception for in this 7f contest. Trained by David Peter Nagle, this son of Kodiac has shown promise on all three of his maiden runs, despite being sent off at massive odds. He was beat 12L on debut at Naas but he ran through the line really well under hands and heels. It was a very pleasing first day at school.
Next time at Limerick (8f yld) he was a lot more prominent and he showed up well until fading in the final furlong. On his last run at Killarney (8f gd) the son of Kodiac again tried to make all and he was only beat 2.75L. He was conceding 9lbs to the 2nd and 3rd that day and they are rated 77 and 85 respectively. On that form a mark of 74 looks more than fair and Scott McCullagh’s claim means he is effectively running off 69. The drop back to 7f looks sure to suit and he is well drawn in stall 5. McCullagh has a 2nd and a 4th on his two previous rides for Nagle. Hopefully he hits the frame on Yester too. At odds of 20/1, he is worth backing each way.
2021 Galway Races Monday Tip: Yester e/w @ 20/1 NAP (4 places)
5.45 – Easyfix Handicap (12.5f)
Matthew Smith can often be a trainer to follow in these staying handicaps and he fires two bullets here. No Thanks is the mount of Colin Keane and he will be trying to end a sequence of three 2nds. He ran a blinder at Ballinrobe at this trip last time out but I am not sure if this track will play to his strengths. Instead, at a much bigger price, I am going to chance his stablemate La Hacienda. This ex-French winner has had just two runs so far for Smith. The first of those, under Keane, wasn’t up to much. However, Sam Ewing, who is back on board today, got a great tune out of him last time at Ballinrobe (9.5f gd).
La Hacienda had to swing very wide to make his challenge turning in and then when he straightened up he nearly ran up the winner’s backside. That was the signal for Ewing to ease up but he still finished nicely under tender handling for 4th. The handicapper generously dropped him 3lb for that effort so he is in off 72 this evening. On pedigree, this step up to 12f looks sure to suit. Three of his half siblings have won at 12f and he won’t mind what the weather does as he seems to be effective on all sorts of ground. His draw in 16 isn’t ideal and luck will be required. But, even so, a small each way wager is warranted at odds of 18/1.
2021 Galway Races Monday Tip: La Hacienda e/w @ 18/1 (5 places)
6.15 – Connacht Hotel Q.R. Handicap (17f)
The big race of the day on Monday at Galway is this 100k, 16.5f handicap for amateur jockeys. It has been a Mullins benefit in recent seasons. Tony won it last year with Princess Zoe and Willie won it the previous three years, twice with Aubrey McMahon riding the winner. That would suggest it is worth considering Foveros for the same combination this year. He sneaks in off a mark of 83 after getting a whopping 17lb rise from the handicapper for a facile win at the Curragh last time out (16f hvy). McMahon takes over from Wayne Lordan and he claims 7lb, which will help. This horse has already notched up two Galway wins over hurdles and he has a lot in his favour.
Jock Could Go Well At A Price
Unfortunately, the bookies haven’t missed him and he is short enough at 7/1. One that could go well at a bigger price is The Names Jock. Trained by John Kiely, this horse will be ridden by 17 year old John Gleeson. He has made a big impression in just a few rides and he got an excellent tune out of this horse at Leopardstown (15f gd) 18 days ago. The son of Famous Name, owned by the jockey’s father Brian, was beat just 0.5L off level weights by Ever Present. That horse was subsequently beat just 0.5L off 95 at the Curragh and I think the Kiely horse would have won if the race was 16f.
Unfortunately for connections, that last run came at a cost. The Names Jock was rated 84 coming into it but the handicapper took a dim view and hiked him to 92. It could have been worse though, because the 100 rated Shoshone Warrior was a head back in 3rd. His draw in 22 is not ideal but this horse is versatile tactically and Gleeson will hopefully drop him out and try to come late with a run. If he can avoid serious traffic problems, The Names Jock could sneak into the money at odds of 18/1.
2021 Galway Races Monday Tip: The Names Jock e/w @ 18/1 (5 places)
6.45 – Eventus Handicap (12.5f)
Ever A Dream, Prince Of Verona and Druk finished 1-2-3 at Fairyhouse two weeks ago and they all re-oppose here. The winner, Ever A Dream, scored by 8L off 64 with Danny Sheehy taking off 3lb so he is effectively 19lb higher. He’ll need to have improved again in order to score today. He is a 5/1 shot, while Prince of Verona is 18s and Druk is 20s. Their marks were left unchanged but the one who caught my eye in that race was the 4th home, Bynx.
Trained by Martin Hassett, the 3yo daughter of Vadamos showed little in maidens. However, on her handicap debut last time she showed definite signs of ability. She was wide turning in and 2f out she was looking around her and it seemed like she was going to finish out with the washing. However, she made up a lot of ground once her jockey straightened her up and she finished just behind the 2nd and 3rd.
Given that it was just her fifth career start, she is entitled to improve again and she is less exposed than the two horses that finished in front of her. Admittedly, it is going to be a big ask for her to win this but I don’t think she should be over triple the price of Druk and Prince Of Verona on the exact same terms as last time. With 4 places on offer from multiple firms, a small each way bet at 66/1 is the recommendation.
