Clint Eastwood might argue that ‘deserves got nothin’ to do with it’ but it would still be hard to begrudge Ndaawi success in Thursday’s Guinness Galway Hurdle.
Last year’s runner-up is back for another crack at the big €270,000 handicap and leads Gordon Elliott’s hopes of a first win in the Ladies’ Day highlight.
Elliott has been runner-up four times and was third back-to-back with Dirar in 2010 and 2011. He runs four in a typically competitive renewal this time, one less than his great rival Willie Mullins, who in contrast has a record six wins in the race.
Joseph O’Brien has two chances as he bids to follow up Nurburgring’s success a year ago and trend followers will be all over his Cheltenham Festival winner Puturhandstogether.
RM Block
Having gone over two decades without a four-year-old being successful in the Galway Hurdle, Zarak The Brave and Nurburgring emerged on top for the young generation in the last two years. Puturhandstogether is the only four-year-old in the line-up this time.
It is 15 years since a cross-channel success, but Fergal O’Brien tries his luck with Dysart Enos, a first Galway runner for the Tipperary-born trainer. Former British champion jockey Harry Cobden rides one of the Mullins team, Tounsivator.
Perhaps the greatest popular sentiment will surround the admirable veteran Lord Erskine, still competitive at a very decent level for Harry Rogers on what will be his 71st career start. There’s even a former Group One flat winner in the line-up as Helvic Dream has a 41st career start.
In contrast, Ndaawi is more than half Lord Erskine’s age but will have his own support hoping he enjoys a change of fortune.
Having had to settle for second in this a year ago, he was also runner-up in last season’s County Hurdle at Cheltenham, running into a Grade One mare in Kargese who had to concede him only 1lb.
Ndaawi had an Ebor and County winner in Absurde behind him on that occasion. Ethical Diamond, subsequently a Royal Ascot winner, was fourth. Giving best to an apparent handicap ‘blot’ must have been tough for connections.
No such blot is obvious in this Galway Hurdle. Ndaawi is 11lbs higher in the ratings compared to 2024 but looks to have been prepared specifically for this and is proven in the race’s hurly-burly. He can make it third time lucky in a big jumps handicap.
Gavin Cromwell runs Addragoole in the big race but will probably fancy his chances more in the Listed Corrib Stakes on the flat.
Fiery Lucy has won just once in her career but has multiple placings in Group races and was only half-a-length shy of Red Letter at Killarney on her last start. She’s the one runner in the field with a triple-digit rating and will be fancied to confirm that.
The triple-chase winner Pied Piper must concede weight in the opening Grade Three and it could prove too much against Westport Cove. The Mullins team also has Cameletta Vega in a later novice hurdle. She won at last year’s festival and impressed over flights at Cork in May.
