Day four of the Galway Festival takes place on Thursday and the Racing Post's Phill Anderson shares his best bets on the card.
5.05 Galway
Embittered @ 33/1
1pt each-way
3.20 Galway
Dedillon @ 12/1
1pt each-way
3.55 Galway
Affogato @ 6/1
1pt win
Embittered can enjoy a return to hurdles
The Galway Hurdle is the big betting race on Thursday's card and there may be some each-way value at double figure prices.
Embittered is the most interesting of those at bigger prices. He was running a big race before making a bad mistake two out in a handicap chase at Punchestown when last seen and he probably would have won that contest without a shuddering error.
While he's shown promise over fences since he was sent novice chasing in November 2020, he hasn't quite reached the same level of form he achieved over hurdles that included a good third in 2020's County Hurdle.
He looks unexposed in this sphere, having just his seventh start over timber here, and the talented conditional jockey, Harry Swan, claims a valuable 7lb off his back. There's little doubt that Swan is good value for that 7lb and if Embittered finds any improvement for the switch back to hurdles, he should be in the mix for the places at the very least.
Deja vu for Dedillon
It's paid to be positioned prominently here so far this week as far as the action on the Flat is concerned and I can see Dedillon repeating last year's triumph in the handicap over the extended mile (race 3).
She made nearly all the running when staying on gamely to land last year's renewal of this race and there is no obvious pace threat from her rivals this time around either.
The mare could hardly be better drawn (2) to repeat those heroics this time (drawn wider in 13 last year) and from just a 4lb higher mark, she's feasibly treated from a handicapping perspective.
Andrew Slattery's six-year-old has been knocking on the door since recording a fourth career win at Cork earlier this term and given that the yard's representatives seem to have all been outrunning their odds this week, she could represent value in a race that should set up well for her.
The main danger and likely favourite is Ampeson who arrives bidding for a hat-trick. However, he has a tough draw to overcome and he also has stamina to prove at this track and trip, having done all his winning over seven furlongs or shorter.
Affogato to serve it up to her rivals
It's not often a big field is declared for a fillies' and mares' Listed contest these days and a decent amount of this 16-runner field have it to prove at this level.
Affogato looked like a filly going places after winning her first two starts for Ger Lyons and she can be forgiven a blip in Group 3 company last time out when the saddle slipped at Fairyhouse.
This is only her fifth career start and when you consider that she nearly sets the standard on what she's already achieved, she could be hard to beat at this sort of level before going on to bigger things.
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