Tote Galway Plate Odds, Tips, and Analysis (02/08/23)

The Galway Plate is a handicap chase that is open to runners aged four or older and is run over two miles, six and a half furlongs in which the runners will have to face fourteen fences during the race.

The leading trainer in the Galway Plate over the last 20 renewals is Gordon Elliott who has won the race three times with those three winners coming from Lord Scoundrel (2016), Clarcam (2018) and Borice (2019). Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the Galway Plate are Willie Mullins (2 wins), Henry De Bromhead (2 wins) and Dermot Weld (2 wins). There are two trainers who have not had the best of times over the last 20 renewals in the Galway Plate, Jessica Harrington has sent a total of 13 runners to the race without recording any wins whilst Edward O’Grady has sent out 12 without a winner.

There are two leading jockeys in the Galway Plate over the last 20 renewals with both Paul Townend and Mark Walsh who have both won the race two times. Paul Townend winners have been with Blazing Tempo (2011) and Royal Rendezvous (2021). Mark Walsh’s winners have been with Bob Lingo (2012) and Early Doors (2020).

Let’s take a look at all of the runners individually and assess their overall chances. I will then provide an overall summary.

Galway Plate Odds

Galway Plate 2023 Entries

HEWICK

Trainer: John Joseph Hanlon
Jockey: Brian Hughes

The star of his yard and is a once in a lifetime horse for them having won this race last year and then the American Grand National back in October. He is remarkably consistent and warmed up for this a couple of months ago by finishing fourth in a Grade 1 Hurdle at Auteuil behind Theleme. Extremely lightly raced this year but his main highlight was when taking the Oaksey Chase at Sandown back in April. Despite the burden of almost twelve stone, he has talent in abundance and if there is any decency in the ground, he will be a tough nut to crack. All of his worst efforts have some on soft ground, so if the rains come his chances would appear to ebb away.

KILCRUIT

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend

Has never been tried over a trip as far as this and would want the ground to be no worse than yielding to be seen at his absolute best. He has recorded just the one win this year and that came in a novice handicap chase at Punchestown. He decimated his rivals that day over a trip just shy of this by no fewer than fifteen lengths. This looks a lot trickier but he does go well fresh and he is the pick of Paul Townend who would have had his choice of the Mullins runners. The yard are no strangers to winning this and the jockey has won the race twice previously.

EASY GAME

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paddy Mullins

An amazingly consistent sort who has won thirteen of his twenty-five chases. Will act on any ground and is proven over a trip as far as this. He was last seen coasting to victory at Listowel back in June. He is a nine-year-old now but the yard won this with a similar sort a couple of seasons ago in Royal Rendezvous. Horses with big weights have won the two most recent renewals and he also goes well after a break. Lots to like apart from the fact that Paul Townend has abandoned him to ride a younger stable-mate.

FURY ROAD

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Jack Kennedy

Has not looked the same horse at all this year. He managed to win on his seasonal reappearance at Down Royal in a two-and-a-half-mile chase but seemed to give up the ghost after February with poor runs at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown. Galway is a right handed track and the only time he raced this way last year he was beaten almost a distance. He has not won on this type of ground since his hurdling days and others just look far more appealing.

LIFETIME AMBITION

Trainer: Jessica Harrington
Jockey: Sean O’Keefe

He very rarely runs a bad race but always tends to find at least one too good. That was certainly the case last season, where the closest he came to a win was in the Troytown at Navan when he was beaten a little over three-lengths by The Big Dog. He seems to act on most ground so the testing conditions are unlikely to prove too much of an obstacle. Jessica Harrington has sent thirteen previous runners into this race without success. It is hard to see him breaking that duck here but solid each way claims again.

ANDY DUFRESNE

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Aidan Kelly (5)

Is without a win of any sort since December 2020. Whilst there has been justification for him being beaten quite easily in Grade 1 chases, he has also been tried at this level without finding much joy. He just looks completely out of love with the game and he is hard to recommend here.

FINAL ORDERS

Trainer: Gavin Cromwell
Jockey: Sean Flanagan

He improved beyond all recognition last year and won five races in a row accumulating in a Grade B handicap success at Leopardstown back in February. His amazing season did seem to catch up with him at both Cheltenham and Aintree and he perhaps began to show the effects of a twenty-pound rise in the handicap. He was given a short break over midsummer and returned to action on the flat at Bellewstown back in July. He was sent off a short-priced favourite for a mile-and-a-half handicap and he duly obliged pulling a couple of lengths clear of Glyde Ranger. That should have cleared away any cobwebs and he will have a fitness edge over many in this race as a result. Acts on soft ground and certainly knows where the winning post is.

ENNISKERRY

Trainer: Barry Connell
Jockey: Michael O’Sullivan

Has been on the easy list with Barry Connell since winning back to back chases at Galway and Roscommon back in 2022. The last of those was a Grade 3 over two miles on good ground. He has been seen twice since and the latest run was a winning one over almost two miles on the flat at Leopardstown. He has never won on ground as testing as it is likely to be here and all of his worst efforts have come when the rain has gotten in. Whilst he is a previous course winner, this distance and the ground may ultimately prove his undoing despite the booking of Michael O’Sullivan.

VISIONARIAN

Trainer: Peter Fahey
Jockey: Denis O’Regan

Has only had a handful of starts in the last year but did manage to win a beginners chase at this meeting last year. Since then he has mainly been racing in Grade 1 Novice Chases and went close to winning the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown back in February. He made a return of sorts over hurdles at Tipperary a few days ago and it was a laboured performance. A return to the larger fences will certainly be in his favour but and he is proven on testing ground. There has to be massive stamina doubts about him though and others are preferred.

CIEL DE NEIGE

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Mark Walsh

Was last seen running in the Topham Chase at Aintree but got no further than the thirteenth fence when hampered by a loose horse. Prior to that he had endured a fairly mediocre season being well beaten on two runs at Leopardstown. The furthest that he has ever won over is tow-and-a-half miles so whether he has the ability to see this out is another matter. He hails from a top yard and the jockey has won three times on him previously. The ground won’t be a problem for him but likely to find life tough here.

FOXY JACKS

Trainer: Mouse Morris
Jockey: Gavin Brouder (5)

Stays all day and has returned as good as ever this year. He won a thirteen runner handicap chase at Kilbeggan just a couple of weeks ago. He has been raised eight-pounds for that win so may well find this a good bit tougher but his proven stamina could well see him go close. Gavin Brouder claims five-pounds off him and has won on the nine-year-old previously. Foolish to dismiss them entirely.

AUTHORISED ART

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Danny Mullins

Has been very disappointing since winning at Tipperary last October. He has been seen on five subsequent occasions and has not made the first three on any occasion. He has 31 lengths to find with stablemate Kilcruit based on their meeting in a similar handicap at Punchestown back in April. The ground also looks to have gone completely against him so another reason to swerve.

THE GOFFER

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Donagh Meyler

Is a rock solid handicapper and he proved that when taking the Bulmers Handicap Chase at Leopardstown last spring. He stays this trip particularly well and has won under similar conditions in the past. He followed up that win with fantastic performances in both the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham and again in the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown the following month when on both occasions he finished fourth. He has won first time out in the past and connections would have to be fairly hopeful that he will run another solid race.

ASH TREE MEADOW

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Danny Gilligan (7)

Was a solid fourth in this last year and has to be respected on that basis, but is off a pound higher mark here today. Danny Gilligan has already ridden a winner at this meeting this year so his seven-pound claim could well be beneficial to the horses chances. He has been kept ticking along throughout the summer and warmed up for this with a spin on the flat at Roscommon last month where he was only beaten a length by Glan over a mile-and-a-half. There has to be question marks over his ability to handle this ground and is probably more effective over a couple of furlongs shorter.

A WAVE OF THE SEA

Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
Jockey: Simon Torrens

Loves a bit of give underfoot and will certainly have that here. His trainer gave him a prep run for this at Tipperary last month and he was far from disgraced over two miles. He has run in this for the last two seasons without much success including when falling here last season. The ground looks to be much more suited to him today and he could run well at a half decent price.

GABBY’S CROSS

Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
Jockey: Rachael Blackmore

Has not tasted success since winning at this meeting over the course and distance in a similar handicap last year. He is six-pounds higher this time round so that makes it a little more difficult. It is hard to say how well he was travelling in the Grand National when he unseated Peter Carberry and this is somewhat of a recovery process. The ground should be fine for him as he won a novices’ handicap chase on similar at Naas in February 2022. If back to his peak he would be in with a chance.

FIGHTER ALLEN

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Brian Hayes

Has been well beaten in all starts since winning at Tramore in April 2022. It could well be that the fall he suffered on his next start at Punchestown has taken its toll on him. He was last of four and then pulled up twice in two subsequent starts. He made his seasonal reappearance at Ballinrobe back in a hurdles race back in May and even that couldn’t rejuvenate him. He needs to find his confidence and quickly and this looks a tough race to try and do that.

HOLLOW GAMES

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Sam Ewing

He could be well worth watching as he has won after a break three times already in his career. The only time that wasn’t the case was at Cheltenham in March where he pulled up in the Arkle behind El Fabiolo. He ran a fair enough race at Punchestown next time though when finishing fourth to Dinoblue. He handles soft ground well and has a lovely weight here in order to make an impact. He won over this trip in a maiden hurdle at Down Royal and perhaps this step up in trip over the larger obstacles can bring out even more improvement. Sam Ewing rides him for the first time and they have to be considered.

HURRICANE GEORGIE

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Conor McNamara

Another of the Elliott battalion who was last seen finishing fourteen lengths behind the re-opposing Foxy Jacks at Kilbeggan last time out. He has been kept busy throughout the summer but he needs to find improvement from somewhere in order to reverse form with his Kilbeggan conqueror. He seems to act better on better ground so even more reason to be sceptical about his chances here today. Plenty of use likely to be made of his proven stamina but he may well find things happening all too soon at the business end of proceedings.

LIEUTENANT COMMAND

Trainer: Noel Meade
Jockey: Cian Quirke (5)

He hasn’t been that highly tried compared to some of these and has only won two chases in his career. He seems to find soft ground a struggle and his ability to last home here under these conditions has to be scrutinised closely. Cian Quirke is a talented amateur but even with his talent, it is difficult to see this nine-year-old in the mix. The handicapper is taking his time to relent and until that happens, Lieutenant Command may well be in the wilderness a bit longer.

UPPING THE ANTI

Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
Jockey: Darragh O’Keefe

Has found life in handicaps difficult and seems to always find trouble in running. He fell in his last race and prior to that he was brought down in a race won by the re-opposing Lieutenant Command. He has gone well fresh in the past but lacks the same sort of experience of most of these rivals. A watching brief in place for now.

BORN BY THE SEA

Trainer: Paul Gilligan
Jockey: Phillip Enright

Tote Galway Plate Tips

Has not won any race since taking a handicap chase here over the course and distance two years ago. The nine-year-old gelding stays all day though and no doubt has a repeat bid at next year’s Grand National as his long term aim. He was a gallant sixth in the race this year. Looks very much up against it here with much younger rivals snapping at his heels and would have appreciated a much longer trip.

Another highly competitive renewal of the Tote Galway Plate. Seven year olds have a fantastic record in this race having won six of the last ten renewals. One that really catches my eye at the foot of the handicap is Hollow Games. He will revel in this ground and has no issues with the trip. He also has a remarkable record when having his first outing of a campaign. He was tried at the highest of levels last year and a return to handicap company here could well prove key.

The Goffer hails from the same yard and he is a talented handicapper make no mistake. His win at Leopardstown last year still sticks out in my mind and that came under similar conditions. The way he pulled right away from a large field was quite a spectacle.

Hewick may have to carry top weight but he is the apple of his stable’s eye. He comes here to defend his crown and should make a bold attempt to do so particularly if the ground dries up.

Prediction:

1. Hollow Games E/W
2. The Goffer E/W
3. Hewick

All odds quoted were available at time of writing.