Galway Races 2015: Gigginstown on Track to win Galway Plate again

Make a Track

Niall Cronin

JP McManus has won the Galway Plate on three occasions in the last five years and will run five of the 22 that are due to face the starter for today’s renewal with his new retained jockey Barry Geraghty looking for a first success in the race on Shanpallas.

McManus also has the Philip Dempsey-trained Jacksonslady, who I’d personally love to see win, Colour Squadron, having a first run for Enda Bolger, former Herald Champion Novice Hurdle winner Alderwood and the sole British-based horse It’s A Gimme.

However, it is last year’s winning owner, Michael O’Leary, who may hold the key with one of his four runners, as Make A Track is selected to oblige for Gordon Elliott and Kevin Sexton.

Bryan Cooper hasn’t enjoyed a great run of luck at this time of year and for the third time in as many years he is being forced to watch the action at Ballybrit from the sidelines.

Efforts

So Sexton comes in for the ride on the Gordon Elliott-trained Make A Track who is looking for a third win in a row after two good efforts at Down Royal and Punchestown.

Davy Russell is back in the Gigginstown colours when taking the ride on Irish Grand National runner-up Rule The World for Mouse Morris and again he is not without his chances following a break, but it’s probably best ignore his Punchestown effort after his game showing in the Irish National.

Alelchi Inois bids to buck the trend of horses with more than 11st in the Galway Plate and with two previous course wins to his name over fences and a liking for better ground, it is no surprise to see him up near the head of the betting.

Amateur

Elsewhere on the card, the Dermot Weld followers will be turning towards the amateur maiden in which he runs the Moyglare-owned three-year-old Time To Inspire who will be blinkered for the first time and Weld again turns to Finny Maguire, son of Adrian, to do the steering in a race they combined to win last year with Whitey O’Gwaun.

Weld’s chances of doubling up look high with New Agenda the horse picked from his entries in the concluding maiden to win him this particular race for the seventh year in a row and a 16th time in 20 years.

Again, Anotherlady is a horse I’d love to see win the Download The App Mares Handicap Hurdle as she is also trained by Philip Dempsey where I ride out, but it is Philip’s son Luke who looks to have solid claims of taking this race on Friday’s Down Royal winner Annagh Haven who comes back hurdling after a spell on the level.

Thomas Hobson will be given most to think about by Weld’s Stuccodor but the Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old should improve for the nicer ground than he had on his jumping debut at Listowel.