Galway 2016 Day 1 Tips – Niall Cronin

Day one of the Galway Festival and one of the most action packed racing weeks of the year begins in Ballybrit this evening and it looks like Rosewell House may well start as they mean to go on.

Inspiring Choice
Not all the fancied Weld horses will win this week, but most of them will. So much so that the dual Derby winning trainer is a very unsurprisingly short priced favourite to be leading trainer at the Galway Festival.

The feature on the opening evening at Galway is always a tricky one and although the last two winners have been punter friendly (5/1 & 4/1) the previous winners were 16/1, 11/1, 10/1, 10/1, 10/1, a 7/1 Weld winner, 12/1, 14/1 and 8/1.

Weld has sent out the winner four times since 2007 and none have been favourite but it looks likely that Time To Inspire will be

…and if he can overcome his inexperience, he looks a horse well up to making his mark here.

The four-year-old has only ran four times and won once, that was here last year under the same rider, Finny Maguire and there is no doubt that this is a plan hatched a long time ago.

By Galileo and a half brother to Forgotten Rules, on breeding he ticks a lot of boxes and he has had the pipe-opener that should leave him spot on for a return to the venue of his sole win.

At a best priced 5/1 with BoyleSports he is certainly short enough for what he has done, but it is the unexposed nature of the horse that makes so much appeal.

Benkei, a course and distance winner has already been backed from when the prices went up on Sunday and at 10/1 he’d be a good each way alternative and it would be no surprise if Chadic was a big danger in the closing stages for Robbie McNamara.

Renneti has also been the subject of some support and Ger Lyons is an infrequent visitor to Galway but anything he runs warrants respect. It’s a real good contest, but Time To Inspire to beat Benkei is the prediction.

Common Interest
A lot of people in racing would just like to have a winner anywhere but there are certain people who are lucky enough to be able to target particular meetings.

The Mee’s love Galway and their Hidden Cyclone may well pitch up here later in the week but prior to that Camlann could get this meeting off to a great start for them in the EasyFix Handicap Hurdle.

Albeit off a low mark of 56, Camlann warmed up for his trip west by winning on the flat over 10-furlongs last month which was his first start since Christmas and Shark Hanlon looks to have picked a good opportunity here.

The Christmas run at Leopardstown saw him stay on to finish fifth at massive odds behind Whatsforuwontgobyu in what was his first handicap over flights and although such fancy odds aren’t on offer for this assignment, the 3/1 (also best price with BoyleSports) would make for a nice start to the week.

Overpriced
Given the step up in trip and the fact that John Oxx’s horses seem to be running right up to form of late, My Fantasea looks overpriced in the penultimate race at 7/1.

The son of Sea The Stars had two maiden runs back in April and won earlier this month with a good, tough performance that so many of Sea The Stars’ offspring show, and the step up in trip for this assignment should be ideal. 7/1 looks a good price and certainly makes each-way appeal.

Recommended Bets:
Camlann (3/1) – 5:45 Galway
Time To Inspire (4/1) – 7:20 Galway
My Fantasea (7/1) – 7:50 Galway

*Prices correct at time of publication