THE big jumps races at Galway felt like Daniel King’s world, the rest of us just living in it, and he gave King Alexander an assured ride in the Plate, a race that appeals as strong form despite less than seven lengths covering the first six.
The start was cleaner than has sometimes been the case in the Plate, and King Alexander got into the box seat tracking the leader in a race where everything looked right for him; ground and trip were ideal, and he was also fresh, his record when 50 days or more off the track now reading:12118121. It was a good performance, but perhaps not one that will be repeatable in the near term.
In second was Conyers Hill, who did best of those held up which would otherwise make him interesting next time, but late headway without winning seems to be his party piece.
Perhaps three miles is worth trying, while the third Gorgeous Tom needs that trip. He struggled with the pace from an early stage, before keeping on well late and has a good race in him.
His 2025/26 season was messy, either running over trips shorter than ideal, or having bad luck when racing over more suitable distances in England.
Needed run
Nowwhatdoyouthink travelled as well as any before finishing fourth and, while that may be his way of going, there is also a chance this run was needed, not long with Gordon Elliott and the trainer talking about autumn targets before this race.
Downmexicoway was the eye-catcher in fifth. He made mistakes at the second last and last first time around, which caused him to lose position, then got hampered by the fall of Senecia, his jumping suffering thereafter.
Darragh O’Keeffe made a big move in the third quarter of the race, but he was always playing catch-up and he did well to finish as close as he did.
He looks well-handicapped, the form of his Cheltenham fourth proving strong, while he also had a nasty trip through the race then.
Of the others, it was a surprise to see the fancied Mullins runners Funiculi Funicula and Ballygunner Castle take a wide route throughout, Paul Townend and Danny Mullins usually astute with track biases, but it seemed no advantage here.
WILLIE Mullins has been the pre-eminent trainer in the recent history of the Galway Hurdle, winning the race five times since 2016, but Tony Martin is giving him a run for his money, the same number of winners in the Thursday highpoint since 2014.
The Hurdle is often a race that favours runners ridden close to the pace, but that was not the case in 2026 when the early gallop was strong, the classy types Solness and Casheldale Lad making the running and the keen Kai Lung pressing them.
This gave horses ridden off the pace more of a chance, the winner Putapoundinthejar one of those, and he travelled at every point during the race, Dan King keeping him tight around the inner and arriving at the last to win with a bit in hand. Only a six-year-old, he looks sure to come back for the race next year, all being well.
The runner-up Thisistheway came from the same form line as the winner, both running at Bellewstown in early July, and was a little better than form, getting bumped around seven furlongs from home then pushed wide to make her challenge in the final half mile.
Gameball travelled smoothly and may have got there sooner than ideal before finishing third, stepping up on his recent Kilbeggan run, while the consistent Ragmans Corner ran on well after getting outpaced after the second last to come fourth. Further will suit him, but he is at least as interesting on the flat, his mark in that sphere having dropped while he has improved over hurdles.
Mark dropped
Helvic Dream is another whose flat mark has dropped lately, and he ran his best race since finishing first past the post in this race last year, while Laafi was better than the form in eighth.
Typically one that races on the pace, he found himself in rear here and had to come wide to make his move, travelling nicely down into the dip and doing well in the circumstances.
El Cairos was one of the least exposed in the field and met trouble after a slight mistake two out. I am not sure how well he was going at that point, but he did keep on late.
The jury remains out on him, and indeed that whole crop of Irish two-mile novice hurdlers of last season.
THE classic generation are already mixing it with older rivals in the races like the Sussex Stakes, but not all three-year-olds mature at the same rate and Galway seemed to bring together several late developing types in competitive handicaps confined to their own age group.
Add in the reality that a few of those involved were aimed at ‘The Races’ and these should be some strong form lines for the second half of the season.
The first came on the opening evening of the meeting, the Gra Chocolates Handicap over a mile and a half won by Madbadanddangerous. Noel Meade’s winner did well to win from off the pace, sectional times point to a slow early gallop before a fast finish and looks up to premier handicap level with soft ground seeming to suit best.
Worth noting
Those in behind are worth noting too, especially with the third Vantage Code having won by 12 lengths on the Friday card. The runner-up was Sharkeyboy, who also came from off the slow pace and had a wide trip in the second half of the race, and he was the least exposed runner in the field. He could hardly be in better hands for races like this, especially with the Mullins yard firing now.
Further back, So Must I looked in need of a stiffer test, while Fits Perfect travelled well for a long way and was not knocked about. He can be expected to improve for his first run in three months over a trip that is more suitable than he had been running over.
The Arthur Guinness Handicap over the extended mile on Friday evening looked a hot race and, while it was only a 0-70, several of these can be expected to rate higher in the future.
A low draw looked a plus, the first four home drawn 5, 3, 17 and 2, the third Down The Glen doing well from that wide stall and forced to race on the wing throughout.
The more interesting ones were in the next wave of finishers, however. Cosmic Funk (fifth) was drawn 21 and dwelt at the start, racing in rear and making headway on the outer on the bend before getting bumped and being forced very wide before finishing strongly.
This was an excellent first run for Pat Murphy having recently been claimed from Ger Lyons. In sixth was Sweet Baby Zou, who got no run at any point from the two-furlong pole, and she looked back in form after a break following three quick runs.
Gambles
Mr Perth (seventh) was one of the gambles of the race, backed from 12/1 to 9/2 on handicap debut, but he stumbled badly when squeezed out at the stalls, doing well to finish as close as he did, while Good Man Jack (eighth) was yet another eye-catcher. Another handicap debutant, he finished well up the inner while meeting trouble and looks on a good opening mark.