The Galway Festival is just around the corner and it’s definitely one of the highlights of the summer programme. One of the biggest races on offer is the €270,000 Galway Hurdle so we’ve picked out an ante-post selection. Our pick is yet to reach his full potential over hurdles but that could be about to change. A trainer with the surname Mullins may well win this race but it might not be Willie! Check out our free tips page for daily content across British and Irish racing.
Fascile Mode gets the nod from us and Thomas Mullins’ six-year-old has plenty more to give. He was a good winner of a Leopardstown bumper and was highly tried after that, notably finishing down the field in Cheltenham’s Champion Bumper. Michael O’Sullivan was on board for his hurdling debut in October and he was an impressive winner.
Always up with the pace, he travelled noticeably well throughout and pulled clear to score by 12 lengths despite a couple of iffy jumps at two of the last three flights. It was very clear that he has a fair engine however and he’s perhaps been a little disappointing since.
Four pretty average efforts in Grade 1 novice hurdles tell us he’s not up to that level but handicaps could be the making of him. The son of Walk In The Park ran well for a long time on handicap debut at Punchestown but didn’t quite get home over an extended 2m4f.
This will be just his second handicap start and the trip should be much more to his liking at this level. He beat Galway Plate winner Ash Tree Meadow in a conditions hurdle at Punchestown last month and there’s more to come off this mark of 133.
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