Galway selections Sunday 1st August
The final day of seven at Galway and the Ahonoora Handicap is the big one for the finale. A horse placed in the last two renewals of this contest is aimed at the prize again – this time coming over from Britain where he is now trained. He is the best bet, but we look at a few of the handicaps on the card. We had a solid final day at Goodwood with Future Investment (advised 10/1), Bielsa (advised 11/1) and Sweet Reward (advised 20/1) all placed for the each-way bets.
Galway 1.40: Church Mountain
At the weights CHURCH MOUNTAIN ought to be able to close on significantly better terms than when fourth to today’s rival Evergreen And Red at Cork in May.
Fourth that day giving 17lbs, the selection will be in receipt of a pound today given Joey Sheridan’s 5lb claim. The gelding has since confirmed his well being with another fourth place at Naas last month and an extended mile with a stiff finish might suit the 4yo perfectly.
Galway 2.45: Atlas
The reliable 8yo ATLAS is around his natural handicap mark again now and with promising 10lb claimer Daniel King aboard looks solid each-way value.
His last win came from a mark of 69 at Leopardstown last July and was then second here over this 7f trip – performances which knocked him up too far in the ratings. It has largely been a struggle since, but he regained some confidence with two runners-up placings in claimers in June.
Since then he was much more competitive back in handicap company when fourth at Limerick. He ran well enough here earlier in the week when beaten less than 4l despite having to deliver his challenge out wide. He is effectively off 5lbs lower today with King’s additional claim to take into account and has a reasonable middle draw.
Galway 3.15: On A Session
Second and third in the past two runnings of the Ahonoora, it looks like ON A SESSION‘s season will have been shaped around making it three times lucky.
Since those last two runs here, On A Session has moved yards to join David Barron in North Yorkshire and he has run some solid races in Britain this season including placed efforts in the Lincoln Trial at Wolverhampton and the Thirsk Hunt Cup. Despite those fine efforts he is able to race off a 3lb lower mark than when so narrowly beaten last season and it looks significant that connections have taken the trouble to bring him across to Ireland here.
Galway 4.50: Moon Daisy
MOON DAISY would not be one of the stable stars from the Donnacha O’Brien yard, but at least she seems to have found her level and a reproduction of her narrow defeat at Leopardstown last time out should be good enough.
She has appeared somewhat one paced, but has inched down the ratings to 71 and first time blinkers appeared to have kicked her into action at Leopardstown and was beaten on the nod by Buckman Tavern there. They reoppose on the same terms today and Moon Daisy seems to be the more reliable performer.
Recommended bets
1pt each-way – Church Mountain – 1.40 Galway – 12/1 Paddy Power (1/5 odds 1st 6)
1pt each-way – Atlas – 2.45 Galway – 10/1 general (several bookies 1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – On A Session – 3.15 Galway – 11/2 general
1pt each-way – Moon Daisy – 4.50 Galway – 8/1 Skybet (1/5 odds 1st 6)
