GALWAY PREVIEW:IT IS 23 years since a mare landed the William Hill Galway Plate, but the unheralded Hill Fairy could represent more than a hint of each-way value in today's €250,000 festival feature.
The name John Morrison might not strike a chord with some race fans, but the Waterford-based trainer will enjoy a much higher profile if Hill Fairy does come out on top against 21 opponents.
Morrison has a reputation as a shrewd trainer of his small string, and he struck here at last year’s festival when Hill Fairy won a two-mile handicap on the flat by beating Sesenta.
She now comes to the most prestigious steeplechase prize of the summer with just three starts over fences to her name, and that makes her the most inexperienced in the race.
Hill Fairy also didn’t jump particularly well in the second of them, but against that is the evidence of an impressive chasing debut on heavy ground in Cork last December, as well as a perfectly adequate warm-up at Killarney earlier this month behind Royal County Star.
Her inexperience is an obvious black mark against Hill Fairy, but she has the assistance of jockey Kevin Coleman, who won the Plate two years ago on Sir Frederick, and her proven ability to act on a variety of surfaces is a definite plus.
There was 20 to 1 available about Hill Fairy in betting yesterday, and if she takes to the Ballybrit fences that could be a rare error by the bookies for a horse carrying only 10.3.
That blip could have something to do with coming from a relatively unfashionable yard, a comment that certainly doesn’t apply to the long-time ante-post favourite Roby De Cimbre, with whom Ruby Walsh and Paul Nicholls will attempt to add to Oslot’s success last year.
Oslot looked a handicap good thing in 2008 – but ultimately was still was all out to beat Oodachee – and the vibes from England suggest this latest Nicholls-trained favourite may not be as fancied despite what the odds-makers reckon.
Tony Martin runs three today, including topweight Royal County Star. Green Mile is at the other end of the weights, but the best of the Martin trio could be Northern Alliance, on whom Denis O’Regan will try to add to his 2005 Plate victory on Ansar.
A Grade Two winner on soft ground last winter, Northern Alliance warmed up for this with a nice run on the flat at Killarney and the distance will be no trouble to him. He has a profile that appeals, but 11st 4lb is a slight worry in a competitive handicap like this.
Wins Now is at the bottom of the weights as well and comes here in form, having won at Tipperary just 10 days ago. He is a classy sort that would be a popular fourth victory in the race for owner JP McManus, but he has flattered to deceive in the past.
The unpredictably of the weather could yet have a major influence on the going today – the chase track at nearby Roscommon is unfit for racing next week – but with her proven ability on the ground and at Ballybrit, Hill Fairy appeals at a decent price to follow in the 1986 footsteps of Boro Quarter.
Young Lochinvar and Colm O’Donoghue were impressive winners at Roscommon recently and, despite a 10lb hike in the weights for that success, the combination still appeals in the second of the mile handicaps today.
Dermot Weld has already stated that very soft ground could be against some of his runners this week, and even though Miss Chaparral warmed up for this afternoon’s amateur maiden with a nice run at Roscommon, she could find Blackstairmountain too good in the conditions.
Precious Gem can win the last for Weld, while The Rebel Returns can add to a Tipperary victory in the handicap hurdle.
Reduced fixture list for 2010
THE RECENT cutbacks in many sectors of Irish racing were added to yesterday with confirmation of a reduced fixture list for 2010, writes Brian O’Connor.
Seven fixtures have been dropped, which brings the overall number of race meetings to 345.
There will also be a dramatic cut in the numbers of mixed National Hunt/Flat fixtures, from 76 to 44.
That is a result of the “significant benefits of single code meetings from a cost perspective”, according to a Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) statement.
The sport’s ruling body also revealed there will be a blank weekend before the start of next year’s Galway festival, but the effect of the recession also means next year’s September festival at Ballybrit will be over three days and not four.
Yesterday’s list comes just a couple of weeks after the An Bord Snip Nua recommendation that a further €17 million be taken off the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund following some substantial cost-saving measures already undertaken on the back of last October’s budget.
“We are seeing a gradual decline in the number of horses in training and runners and HRI has reacted accordingly by reducing the overall fixture list,” said HRI director of racing Jason Morris, who is confident no further fixture cuts will have to be made for 2010.
“Our precise funding won’t be known for some months yet, but this is the agreed published fixture list and I wouldn’t imagine it will be subject to change,” he added.
