4:13 Galway
The W.B. Gavin & Co. Handicap Hurdle at Galway brings together a competitive field of 19 runners over 2m5f200y on yielding ground. Official ratings range from 108 to 135, with several high-class performers on their day lining up, though recent form is mixed across the board. The KTB Fit Scores are tightly bunched at the top, headed by Sportinthepark on 62, with the next four principals all rated between 58 and 61, underlining the depth and competitiveness of this staying handicap.
How the race shapes up
A strong pace is anticipated, with at least two habitual front-runners in the line-up and several more who race prominently. Stumptown, Feud, One Big Boum and Prophet's Corner are all likely to contest the lead or race up with the pace, while horses such as Hgranca De Thaix, Teed Up, Open Secret, West Of Bally, Stay Gold, Tiger Twins and Burru should be handily placed. This early speed could cause the race to collapse late, posing the key question of which hold-up performers can time their run to best effect from off the pace.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Sportinthepark KTB Selection62/100
Sportinthepark is a high-class performer who has won two of his three starts at Galway. He has solid recent form including a fourth on his latest outing and boasts a perfect record on yielding ground from his one run. The step up in trip is a new question but he has already won over this distance once. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he should be suited by the strong pace that is likely to unfold. Noel Meade has a 12% strike rate at the track from 1052 runs while Sam Ewing operates at 12% from 111 rides here. The combination of course success, a strong going record and the prospect of a race that could fall apart late makes him the KTB Selection.
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2Hgranca De Thaix61/100
Hgranca De Thaix is a high-class performer who has won once from four runs at this track. His recent form of 02267- shows solid placed efforts mixed with lesser runs, while the trip has so far proved beyond him in four attempts. Usually races handily, on or close to the lead, he could find himself in a prominent position in a race with a strong pace. Barry Connell and Sean Flanagan both operate at a 12% strike rate at Galway. He has won once and been placed once from three runs on yielding ground, and with a course win already on his record he enters the reckoning.
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3Sa Majeste60/100
Sa Majeste is a high-class performer on his day yet has been disappointing in his last few runs. He has placed once from a single visit to Galway and drops back from a very long trip today having failed to win or place in two previous tries at this distance. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he could be favoured if the strong pace collapses. E Bolger has a 12% strike rate at the track from 113 runs while the 7 lb claimer Rian Lane has only one ride here so far. A return to his best would see him involved, though recent form raises questions.
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4Stumptown58/100
Stumptown is a high-class performer with a solid official rating of 127 and proven ability at this trip where he is one from one. He has placed both times at Galway and handles yielding ground with a win and two places from five starts. Tending to make the running or race on the pace, he is likely to be towards the front end in what is expected to be a strongly run affair. Gavin Cromwell has a 7% strike rate at the track from 388 runs, below his record elsewhere, while Keith Donoghue records a 9% strike rate here in line with his overall figure. His proven trip effectiveness and placed course form keep him firmly in the mix.
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5Feud58/100
Feud is a high-class performer on his best days with a solid official rating of 120 and a win from two starts at this track. He steps up in trip today having shown little on yielding ground in two previous tries and his recent form of 0F-503 is mixed at best. Tending to make the running or race on the pace, he will be prominent early in a race with a strong pace likely. G. O'Leary has a 10% strike rate at Galway from 52 runs while Philip Donovan operates at 3% from 32 rides here. His course record offers hope, though the combination of the longer trip and modest recent efforts tempers expectations.
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6Balko d'Ange58/100
Balko d'Ange is a high-class performer who arrives off a recent 0 at this trip and distance step-up which remains an unknown. Has placed twice from five runs on yielding ground and brings strong overall form and ratings. Philip Fenton records a 12% strike rate at Galway from 67 runs in line with his overall figure while Brian Hayes is 4% from 182 rides here in line with his own.
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7Teed Up57/100
Teed Up is a smart performer who has won six times at this track from 15 runs and arrives in decent form after a recent third. Steps up in trip today to 2m5f for the first time which asks a fresh question. Emmet Mullins operates at a 14% strike rate here in line with his record elsewhere while Alan O'Sullivan is 10% at the track.
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8Shoot First57/100
Shoot First is a high-class performer who has placed on both previous visits to Galway and showed useful form when third on his most recent completed start. Steps up in trip today having failed to win in two previous tries at this distance. C Byrnes has a 9% strike rate at the track in line with their record elsewhere while Philip Byrnes has a 2% strike rate here from 45 rides which is below his 11% at other courses. The horse has won one of two starts on yielding ground.
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9Open Secret57/100
Open Secret is high-class on ratings and race history with strong course connections at Galway. Only sixth on his one run here and has failed to place in two tries on yielding ground. Steps up markedly in trip today as a fresh question while Gordon Elliott's 11% strike rate at the track sits below their overall mark. Jack Kennedy has a 15% strike rate at Galway.
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10One Big Boum54/100
One Big Boum is a high-class performer on his best days with a solid recent record that includes two wins last season. He has already shown he does not go particularly well at Galway, finishing seventh on his only visit, and the yard’s 12% strike rate here sits in line with their record elsewhere. The 5 lb claimer Niall Moore has yet to score from 11 rides at the track while the drop back in trip today asks a fresh question.
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11Zoffman51/100
Zoffman is a smart performer who has shown his best form at this track with a third here last season and recent placed efforts off this mark. Drops back from 3m today to a trip he has never tried so that remains a question. Noel Meade and Donagh Meyler both operate at their usual level here with 12% and 7% strike rates respectively.
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12West Of Bally51/100
West Of Bally is a smart performer who showed useful form when third in a competitive handicap at Punchestown last time. Has a bit to find on his sole course run here when fifth and is now dropping back in trip to one he has never tried. Half-brother to Rocky's Silver (5 wins from 23 runs). The dam has had 2 other runners, 1 of them a winner. E McNamara and Gearoid Brouder both record 6% and 5% strike rates at Galway that sit in line with their figures elsewhere.
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13Lough Nigara50/100
Lough Nigara is a smart performer who arrives in solid form having won two of his last four starts and shown he handles this trip. He has placed on yielding ground and the yard's Galway record sits in line with their overall strike rate. First run at the track today with a 7% jockey record here.
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14Prophet's Corner47/100
Prophet's Corner is a high-class performer who arrives off a win in a point and carries an official rating of 120. Drops back in trip to 2m5f where he has been placed once in two tries, though he is unproven on yielding ground. Sean Joseph Allen has only one run at Galway so far while Peter Smithers records a 7% strike rate here from 14 rides.
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15Carrigg Island47/100
Carrigg Island is a high-class performer on his best days and arrives with a solid recent sequence that includes two seconds and a third. He steps up in trip today having already won at this distance, though the move from 2m4f asks a fresh question. The trainer operates at a 5% strike rate here in line with his overall record while the jockey has only four rides at the track so the sample is too small to judge.
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16Stay Gold44/100
Stay Gold is a smart performer who arrives off the back of some solid placed efforts and holds an official rating of 115. Drops back in trip today having last run over further which poses a fresh question while the yard and jockey both record 4% strike rates at Galway that sit in line with their figures elsewhere. Placed once from four runs on yielding ground.
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17Tiger Twins42/100
Tiger Twins is a smart performer who showed useful form when fifth in a handicap hurdle at this track last summer. Fell when in contention on return at Cork and now drops back from 3m to a trip he has never tried. Eoin Christopher McCarthy and Simon Torrens both operate at a 5-6% strike rate here in line with their records elsewhere.
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18Burru41/100
Burru is a smart performer on his day with a solid recent record that includes a win and a fourth last time out. He has placed here without winning from two starts and has shown ability on yielding ground, though he steps back up in trip today having only placed once from two runs at this distance. The trainer has a 0% strike rate from six runs at Galway while the jockey operates at a 7% strike rate here, in line with his record elsewhere.
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19Mystic Malina41/100
Mystic Malina is a smart performer who showed useful form when runner-up last time and brings a solid recent record of 1P17-2. The yard has a 0% strike rate from 10 runs at Galway while the jockey is operating below his general rate with an 8-261 record here. Dropping back from 3m poses a fresh question and the dam has produced just one non-winning runner.
KTB verdict
Sportinthepark stands out as the KTB Selection. A high-class performer with two wins from three starts at Galway and a perfect record on yielding ground from his one attempt, he has the course form, the going preference and the late-run style to capitalise if the strong pace collapses as expected. His solid recent form and proven ability over the trip further strengthen the case. The main dangers are Hgranca De Thaix, who has a course win and placed form on similar ground, and Stumptown, who brings proven trip effectiveness and placed efforts at the track. Sa Majeste and Feud are others who could feature if they return to their best.
KTB Selection Sportinthepark
Early prices
The best price per runner across the bookmakers we track, each as first seen (UK time). 19 runners were not priced by any bookmaker before the off (a dash). Prices move — see the live racecard for current prices.
This is the narrative read of the 4:13 Galway. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Galway racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Galway results & records page. How favourites, trainers, jockeys and the draw have fared here over the last five years is on the Galway racecourse statistics page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has the strongest course record at Galway in this field?
Sportinthepark has won two of his three starts at Galway.
How does the expected strong pace shape influence the race?
The strong pace, with multiple front-runners and prominent racers, could cause the race to collapse late and favour hold-up horses.
Which runners are likely to set or contest the early pace?
Stumptown, Feud, One Big Boum and Prophet's Corner tend to make the running or race on the pace, while Hgranca De Thaix, Teed Up, Open Secret, West Of Bally, Stay Gold, Tiger Twins and Burru usually race prominently.
Which horse is stepping up in trip as a new question according to KTB Intelligence?
Sportinthepark, Sa Majeste, Teed Up, Shoot First, Open Secret, Zoffman, West Of Bally, Carrigg Island, Stay Gold, Tiger Twins, Burru and Mystic Malina are all stepping up in trip or facing a fresh trip question.
What is the trainer strike rate at Galway for the yard of the KTB Selection?
Noel Meade has a 12% strike rate at Galway from 1052 runs.
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