2022 Galway Races Monday Preview and Tips – DS
2022 Galway Races Monday Preview and Tips
Our winless streak was ended in style on Saturday. Good old Pyledriver, a long time friend of the blog, landed the King George at 25/1. Secretinthepark also nicked place money for us at the same odds. Cuban Mistress was too keen early but didn’t disgrace herself in 5th. Eidikos wasn’t good enough and Nomadic Empire (and Venturous) didn’t land a blow. Ropey Guest ran okay but Rhoscolyn flopped. This is a marathon week of racing and it kicks off tomorrow in Ireland. Check out Dave Stevos’ 2022 Galway Races Monday tips below.
5.10 – Novice Hurdle (4yo)
HMS Seahorse looks the one to beat here. A wide margin winner of a flat Premier Handicap at the Curragh last time, he has already achieved plenty over timber. Placed at Cheltenham off 128, he is rated 132 and this looks a good opportunity for him. The rain that fell over the weekend is in his favour and favourite backers will be lumping on at odds of 4/7.
The one I’ll take him on with is Razdan. We backed this fella earlier this season when he ran a massive race for Georgia Dobie at Lingfield. He didn’t get a clear run and was only beat 0.5L into 2nd off 75. A solid run at Leopardstown followed before a rare poor run under an inexperienced claimer last time. Chris Timmons has enlisted the services of Bryan Cooper for the ride today, which would suggest that a big run is expected.
Promising Debut
The son of Zoffany has already had a run over timber and it was hugely promising. He was given way too much to do at Ballinrobe but he finished off his race very strongly and his jumping improved as the race wore on. Now, that form isn’t overly strong but I still really liked how Razdan finished off his race and as an added bonus, he ran three crackers at this festival last season. He has place claims at least at 8/1 and if HMS Seahorse has an off day, hopefully he takes full advantage.
2022 Galway Races Monday Tip: Razdan e/w @ 8/1
5.40 – Handicap Hurdle (80-109)
Kevin Smith won this with Son Of Hypnos last season and he is back to try to repeat the dose. Last year’s win came off a mark of 107 and guess what, he races off the same rating today. It’ll be softer ground this time but that won’t bother this 5yo son of Morpheus. Some of his best form has come in the West of Ireland. He has had nine previous runs at Ballybrit and he has won twice.
One of those wins was this in 2021 and he also landed a flat race over 12f on heavy in 2020. Kevin Smith will have had his eye on this race and I wouldn’t put too much stock in this fella’s two outings since returning from a break. Those two spins should have him piping fit and as an added bonus, the handicapper gave him 2lbs back for his comeback run behind Trevena at Ballinrobe. Hopefully he is there to do his best and if he is, he could reward e/w support at 25/1.
2022 Galway Races Monday Tip: Son of Hypnos e/w @ 25/1 (5 places)
6.10 – Irish EBF Maiden (2yo)
I’d say there will be a few multiples from HMS Seahorse going on to Tiverton here. Dermot Weld, no longer the force he once was at Galway, trains this son of Expert Eye and he ran a cracker on debut at the Curragh (7f yld). He went down by 0.75L to Proud and Regal and he hacked up in a Group 3 on his next start. At the Curragh he was green and if he learns from the experience, he should be winning this.
On paper, the biggest threat could come from Pivotal Trigger. He ran well to be 5th on debut at Gowran, 4L behind Zoinnocent. On his next start at Tipperary he closed the gap to the Gowran runner up La Dolce Vita to 1L and he was only a neck behind subsequent Curragh maiden winner Hans Anderson. The recent rain will suit and he should run well.
Interesting Newcomer
Hopefully all eight will run here and if they do, Man Of Eden is worth a few pennies e/w at silly odds. John O’Donoghue has had a fine season so far, including with his 2yos. This horse is owned and was bred by DJ Deer, the man who owned and bred Al Kazeem amongst many other quality horses. Man Of Eden is by Zoffany and is a February foal so he should be well developed physically.
He is related to six winners (though one of those was a pig!) and three of those managed to place as 2yos. Given his sire a bit of cut in the ground should suit and he has been handed the plum draw in stall 1. The top two have quality form so they’ll probably dominate but O’Donoghue has shown he can ready one and at odds of 80/1, a small e/w interest is advised.
2022 Galway Races Monday Tip: Man Of Eden e/w @ 80/1
6.40 – QR Handicap (70-100)
The one I am backing in this 17f flat race is Call My Bluff. Dominic Ffrench Davis travels over from Lambourn with this progressive son of Make Believe and I don’t think they have come just for the day out. This horse is a very talented stayer and he warmed up for this with a nice prep run in a 16f handicap at Kempton. He has won on the all weather before but his best form by far has come on turf.
It took a while for the penny to drop with this horse. It finally did at Goodwood in August 2020 on his seventh start. He landed a 2 mile handicap on heavy off 58 and then finished the season with form figures of 112, ending up on a mark of 73. Last season we only got to see him four times but that was because of the dry spell and fast ground. His comeback run was needed but he then reeled off wins at Nottingham and Chester off 74 and 80 before going down by a short head to Just Hubert off 83 at Ascot.
On his first run of 2022 he turned up in the Chester plate off 85. He had to challenge wide but he ran a massive race and was only beat 1.75L. A prominent racer, he has a great draw in stall 1 and in these big fields it is always an advantage if you can avoid the inevitable trouble back in the field when they turn for home. With his pilot’s claim he is effectively 6lbs lower than at Chester and 1lb lower than for his last win. At 25/1 there is lots to like about Call My Bluff and he is the e/w selection.
2022 Galway Races Monday Tip: Call My Bluff e/w @ 25/1 (6 places) NAP
7.15 – Clayton Hotel Handicap (50-80)
He is a bit shorter than I’d like but at 12/1, Seeingisbelieving surely has a huge chance here. Trained by Mick Mulvany, this horse looks like he has been laid out for this race. He displayed plenty of ability as a 2yo but he bombed out in the Birdcatcher at Naas off 83 on his handicap debut and this season, he has been running in a mix of maidens and handicaps.
His comeback run was alright when 5th at Naas, beat 6L off 83. The handicapper only gave him 1lb back but after another three ordinary efforts, he has been dropped to 71! The closest he came to troubling the judge this term was at Sligo, a good trial track for Galway. He finished 2.75L behind today’s fav Band Width off level weights and with Wesley Joyce’s claim, he gets 13lbs from him today. Andy Oliver’s charge is drawn 17, Seeingisbelieving is in stall 1 and he has also been gelded. At odds of 12/1, hopefully he makes use of his draw and gets into the frame.
2022 Galway Races Monday Tip: Seeingisbelieving e/w @ 12/1 (4 places) NB
7.50 – Eventus 3yo Handicap (60-90)
There looks to be a load of early pace in this so it could set up for a late swooper. Irish Lullaby, Willesee, Sally Golightly and Actually have all made the pace in the past so something will have to give. Irish Lullaby (2) and Actually (6) are the best drawn of the pacemakers and hopefully they go a proper gallop from the drop of the flag.
Maybe Knightlaila can be the one to pick up the pieces late if they go too quick. Johnny Murtagh’s son of Decorated Knight was a handicap winner at Gowran (8f sft) in April off 76. He was held up that day and hit the front 2f out before going on to score by 1L. His three runs since have come on good ground but even so, his last effort was an eye-catching one.
At the Curragh, Shane Kelly dropped his mount right out the back. That’s where he was pretty happy to stay until around 1.5F out when he produced the persuader and gave him a smack. He immediately began to pick up and from last, a good 15L behind the leaders he ended up just 4.75L behind the winner. On pedigree 12f shouldn’t suit but on run style it will and with Ben Coen back in the plate, Knightlaila is the e/w pick at 14/1.
