Galway Races tips: 'It's all about Mee on day three of the Festival'
Last year's Galway Hurdle hero Nurburgring attempts to join an elite group of horses to have completed the Plate/Hurdle double with Ansar the last to achieve the feat in 2001 and 2004.
Gordon Elliott runs seven in the 2m6f race as he bids to win it for a fifth time while Noel Meade's Jesse Evans would be a deserving winner having finished second in the Galway Hurdle on two occasions.
5.05 - Tote Guaranteed Placepot Today Maiden Hurdle
HIPOP DE LOIRE should get favourite backers off to a good start in the opening maiden hurdle for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend.
The eight-year-old was runner-up in a maiden hurdle here 12 months and went on to run a screamer in the Ebor at York, a race he's currently ante-post favourite for next month.
He was a six-time winner in his native Poland and Germany before moving to Cloustton and looks a level above the opposition here with a trip to Melbourne in November likely too.
Zanndabad is a smart stayer on the flat for Tony Martin and although only rated 117 over hurdles there's surely more in the locker and a big run wouldn't be a shock.
TIP: HIPOP DE LOIRE
Each-way: Zanndabad
5.35 - Tote Money-back 2nd Every Race Today Handicap Hurdle
Emmet Mullins trained the winner of the big race here on Monday and ARCTIC GALE has a strong chance of providing him with another winner here this evening.
Owned by the Ballybrit loving and locally based Pearse and Annette Mee, the six-year-old comes here having won over fences at Tipperary earlier this month and his 109 mark over hurdles looks lenient.
He wouldn't be winning out of turn having finished second in a bumper and second in a maiden hurdle at this Festival in 2023 and 2024.
Danny Mullins is always worth a second look when riding for his mother Mags and Spinning Web has a chance of making the frame at decent odds.
TIP: ARCTIC GALE (nap)
Each-way: Spinning Web
6.05 - Tote Guaranteed Jackpot Mares Handicap Hurdle
REDWOOD QUEEN is effectively a winner without a penalty having controversially unseated his rider with the race at his mercy at Wexford in May, an incident that's still under investigation by the IHRB.
He was subsequently claimed by Cian Collins following that race and makes his debut here for the talented Cheltenham Festival winning trainer.
Collins has booked top amateur rider Rob James to claim 7lbs and although it's a fiercely competitive contest, he's hard to get away from at the same time.
Smart flat horse Enfranchise is also a leading contender in Mee silks. He was beaten just two lengths by Kyprios at Navan earlier this year and if he can jump he's thrown into this.
TIP: REDWOOD QUEEN
Each-way: Enfranchise
6.40 - Tote Galway Plate
OLYMPIC MAN is put forward as a speculative choice in a wide open Galway Plate.
The eight-year-old runs in the Audrey and Greg Turley colours of Galopin Des Champs and although he's nowhere near that good he does have ability and may be well handicapped.
Jumping is his problem and he has made mistakes in his last couple of runs, spoiling any chance of victory, but if Danny Mullins can get him into a rhythm he's a chance off 10st13lbs. Danny Mullins onboard Olympic Man clears the last on his way to winning at Naas (Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne)
He ran in both the Scottish Grand National and Bet365 Gold Cup during Mullins' title bid at the end of last season and this kind of race might be more to his liking in a race where being prominent has been crucial in recent times.
Thecompanysergeant came agonisingly close to a Cheltenham Festival success in March when runner-up to Jagwar and backed that up with a good run in a handicap hurdle at the Punchestown Festival.
The Gavin Cromwell-trained gelding runs here off just 2lbs higher than Cheltenham and is another with a massive chance.
TIP: OLYMPIC MAN
Each-way: Thecompanysergeant
7.15 - Download The Tote App (Q.R.) Maiden
An amateur riders' maiden that can go to Georgie Benson and Johnny Murtagh with the three-year-old EDELAK in the late Aga Khan silks.
He's a well-bred colt, related to Gold Cup winners Enzeli and Estimate, and looks to be improving for his runs during the summer having not raced as a juvenile.
Word For Word can nick a place for Finny Maguire and John Joseph Murphy.
TIP: EDELAK
Each-way: Word For Word
7.50 - Watch Danny's Diary - 15 Years Of Tote Memories Handicap
Another very low key contest where the crowd will be already heading towards the gates but SUJET can give Dermot Weld a welcome Ballybrit success in the Juddmote colours.
He won a big handicap on Derby weekend at the Curragh and might be capable of following up despite a hefty hike of 10lbs.
He's a gelding by Frankel that was bred for better things and that was his first run in a handicap so there's likely to be more improvement.
TIP: SUJET
Each-way: Sunriseontheboyne
8.20 - Tote, Never Beaten By SP Handicap
HAPPY JACKY has top weight but he likes it around here and has made the frame on a number of occasions at the Festival and at the autumn meetings at Galway.
Mark Fahy's gelding is now an 11-year-old but showed plenty of zest in winning a 3m hurdle race at Cork on his latest start and before that he ran a blinder to finish third in a big field handicap at the Curragh won by Lot Of Joy.
The Laura Hougian-trained Last Ammo won this race when rated just 1lbs lower in 2023 and ran an eye-catching race at Ballinrobe recently.
TIP: HAPPY JACKY
Each-way: Last Ammo
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