2023 Galway Races Thursday Preview & Tips – DS
2023 Galway Races Thursday Preview
Just one place yesterday but at least it was our NB, Takarengo. Born By The Sea didn’t fire and our last two bets never landed a blow. Hopefully we can get a winner on the board today, Dave Stevos’ 2023 Galway Races Thursday tips are below.
3.20 – Rockshore Handicap (0-90)
He may have disappointed here on Tuesday but Laughifyouwant is drawn much better today and he should improve for that run too. It was his first outing since May 21st so the 8yo will surely be sharper and he loves it at Galway. He is a dual winner here, including the Ahonoora off 88 back in 2019.
On his last visit before yesterday he was only beat 3L behind Current Option off 100. That is the mark he last won off, at the Curragh in August 2020. He gets in today off a mark of 80. Admittedly, that form is from some time ago but he showed in two runs earlier this season he is still capable of winning a handicap.
He was only beat 2.25l behind Joe Massaria at Cork off 86 in April and he followed that with a solid 5th behind Dunum off 85 at Limerick. A bit of an ease suits, Colin Keane knows him inside out and if he breaks well from stall 7, Laughifyouwant can run a big race at odds of 16/1.
2023 Galway Races Thursday Tips: Laughifyouwant e/w @ 16/1 (5 places) NAP
3.55 – Corrib Fillies’ Stakes (Listed)
At odds off around 20/1, Pandora Lovegood could go well here. Trained by Joe Murphy, Gary Carroll will ride this 3yo daughter of Fast Company. She is a course and distance winner, landing a nursery at this track at last year’s festival off 83. She flopped in a G3 on her final run of 2022 but it was much more encouraging on her seasonal return at Leopardstown last week (9f sft).
Murphy’s filly was sent off at 33/1 but she showed up well for a long way before fading late on. She was only beat 4.5L for the win and when you consider that the trip probably stretched her, and that she likely needed the run, it was a fine effort.
The drop back to 7f looks a big positive for her here and although she is drawn in 11, there isn’t a lot of early pace on paper so hopefully she can get into her favoured front running position. Joe Murphy had one go close in the 2 mile handicap here on Wednesday, hopefully Pandora Lovegood can do something similar at odds of 20/1.
2023 Galway Races Thursday Tips: Pandora Lovegood e/w @ 20/1 NB
5.05 – Galway Hurdle (Grade 3)
Tudor City landed this race for us last year in fine style. Tony Martin’s charge is back to try and make history by winning it for the third time. He looked as good as ever when winning on the flat last time out and Martin has managed to get him back down to the exact mark he won this off in 2022. I can see him running a big race again but I am going to take a chance on one at much bigger odds.
We backed Gatsby Grey at Aintree (24f gd/sft) earlier this season. He landed the e/w money for us in fifth off a mark of 141 and he gets in off 137 today. The son of Waldpark was also a good 5th in a Grade B handicap at Leopardstown at the Dublin Racing Festival so he clearly enjoys the hustle and bustle of big fields.
Those two runs came at 3 miles and it a much shorter distance today. However, it is just over a year since he won over 16f at Naas and then chased home Mighty Potter in the Irish Champion Novice at Punchestown over 2 miles so he does have rock solid form at the trip. He’ll be well suited by a strongly run race, he had a grand prep run on the flat at Leopardstown three weeks ago and, granted luck in running, Gatsby Grey is capable of running into a place here at odds of 66/1.
2023 Galway Races Thursday Tips: Gatsby Grey e/w @ 66/1 (5 places)
5.40 – Guinness 0% Handicap (50-70)
An interesting one at a big price in this 12f handicap is Evans Secret. Trained up the road in Sligo by Mark McNiff, this very nicely bred son of Nathaniel has had just the three starts so far. He raced twice as a 3yo, his best effort coming on his second start over 9.5f at Ballinrobe. The way he finished off his race that day suggested that this sort of trip would suit.
McNiff put him away after that run and he reappeared at Sligo (13f gd) in May. He again showed a glimpse of ability, racing prominently and just running out of steam in the last furlong. The drop back to 12f here looks sure to suit and he now makes his handicap debut off a mark of 68.
You couldn’t argue that he’s thrown in off that rating but he is bred to be better than that. He is by a quality sire and his dam is a half to Mukhadram, a G1 winner. His half sister Spanish Aria was rated 80 and she enjoyed a cut in the ground and I am hoping that Evans Secret is cut from the same cloth. At odds of 28/1, he is a speculative e/w selection.
