Wet weather might have been Galway festival spoilsport at times this week but it could prove crucial to Nans View’s chances of winning Friday evening’s feature.
The Jarlath Fahey-trained filly is one of 18 lining up for the €110,000 Guinness Handicap and gets in at the bottom of the weights.
Nans View won over the course and distance on heavy going last October and although conditions won’t be as testing as that this time, an ease in the going does appear to be vital to her.
She put in an encouraging effort at Navan in June when runner-up to Ragmans Corner, and the latter gave that form a boost by finishing third to Fely Bay in Monday’s big race.
It’s 24 years since a three-year-old beat their seniors in this race but Aidan O’Brien pitches Acapulco Bay into it on the back of a third to Emit at Gowran last weekend.
It’s 30 years since Jim Bolger won the day five highlight, but the veteran trainer is represented by his Irish Derby-day winner Fleetfoot. That Curragh performance looks an important piece of form in this context although ultimately conditions may have come up suitable for Nans View.
Proven course form can also prove crucial to Friday’s big jumps contest, the €80,000 Galway Blazers Handicap Chase, where Neveradullmoment looks to hold a leading chance.
A winner over hurdles and fences at Ballybrit, the JP McManus runner ran twice in May, including behind the subsequent Plate winner Western Fold in the Mayo National.
Friday evening’s card traditionally sees a change in the profile of those attending the festival, with a younger clientele descending on Ballybrit as part of their Bank Holiday weekend.
A good start could be provided by Bellamano in the opening two-year-old auction maiden.
Johnny Murtagh’s filly has a plum draw in stall one and is proven on an easy surface having chased home A Boy Named Susie on her second racecourse start at Killarney. That winner earned some rave reviews, and his reputation could get a form boost here.
Siding with Willie Mullins is always a popular choice and he can make his presence felt across the codes.
Jarrive De Mee was progressive over hurdles last season and wound up running in Grade One company at Punchestown behind his stable companion Jasmin De Vaux.
Patrick Mullins maintains his partnership with the former point-to-point winner who makes his debut over fences in a Beginners’ Chase in which Mullins snr also runs Uncle Pat and Luckinthecity.
More experienced rivals such as Sandor Clegane oppose but Jarrive De Mee looks one to progress again over the bigger obstacles.
The champion jumps trainer runs both Bunting and Charlus in the later conditions flat event, where last year’s winner Taipan is back to try again.
Charlus boasts a 97 rating from his time in France when trained by Jean Claude Rouget and a first-time hood could help Séamus Heffernan get a winning tune out of him.
