RACING/GALWAY FESTIVAL DAY FOUR:THE REAL Article has dominated the market for this afternoon's Guinness Galway Hurdle since his controversial outing at Tipperary earlier in the month, but the value lies elsewhere in the richest prize of the week.
At Tipperary, The Real Article finished a short-head second to Captain Cee Bee under just a hands and heels ride. That display has provoked quite an amount of comment for all the wrong reasons, and the handicapper’s decision to raise The Real Article to a rating of 145 leaves him taking his chance here with a theoretical 18lb in hand.
He is the most likely winner, but at his likely price in a handicap of this stature it could be better to side with one of several viable each-way alternatives.
Among those is the former Cheltenham winner Captain Cee Bee, who is sure to have come on from Tipperary. But he is meeting The Real Article on 28lb worse terms.
While she does come here off a lacklustre run at the Punchestown Festival, the Seán Byrne-trained Oilily does appeal as one that could go well at a big price. Only once in her 12 races has she finished outside the first two, and she is easily forgiven that below-par run behind Shot From The Hip.
Prior to that she ran a cracking race to finish second in a decent novice hurdle at Aintree, and she won a well-contested Grade Three event at Tipperary last October.
She enjoys good ground and she has a good record fresh, too, so an absence of almost three months is not a concern. There is enough substance to her form to suggest Oilily can run a big race.
Dermot Weld looks to have several strong chances and his unexposed Anam Allta gets the vote in the seven-furlong fillies handicap following an encouraging comeback at the Curragh on Derby weekend.
That day Anam Alta ran a fine race to chase home Future Generation and Simla Sunset, who have both done their bit to boost the form. The selection did get somewhat worked up beforehand that day and it is reasonable to assume she can progress well from the form that she showed there.
Anam Allta is preferred to Colour Of Love, who has to contend with a wide draw, and Act Of Love, who was just touched off over this course and distance last year.
The other Weld inmate to side with is Teach Nua in the mile-and- a-half handicap. He has yet to win on the flat, but there was plenty of merit in his recent comeback run at Fairyhouse when he was sixth to Prince Of Fashion.
The seven-year-old did win over hurdles at this meeting two years ago, and that course form, along with an encouraging reappearance run and an all important low draw, make Teach Nua the choice.
Elsewhere, a couple of former Festival winners look capable of striking again. In the novice chase, John Hanlon’s Darenjan can make it three wins in four years at this meeting. He should be able to improve on his winning debut over fences at Killarney.
Maundy Money has a particularly strong affinity for the demands of Galway. He won twice here in 2008 and was placed twice in big handicaps 12 months later.
He has come back down to a rating which gives him a chance again, and the form of a recent third in a Dundalk claimer has been working out well, notably with the winner, Iron Major, scoring on Tuesday evening.
The former Cheltenham bumper fourth Tavern Times looks capable of seeing off Endless Intrigue in the novice hurdle, while Mr Nosie has done enough over fences this year to suggest the opening beginner’s chase lies within his reach.
Ryan's Selections
1.50 – Mr Nosie
2.25 – Darenjan
3.00 – Maundy Money (dbl)
3.35 – Anam Allta (nap)
4.10 – Tavern Times
4.50 – Oilily
5.30 – Teach Nua
6.05 – Cairdin
