The final day of 2022's Galway Festival takes place on Sunday and Phill Anderson from the Racing Post has a trio of selections on the card.
3.05 Galway
Battleoverdoyen @ SP
2 pt win
4.40 Galway
Wild Rover @ SP
2pt win
2.00 Galway
Blowing Dixie @ SP
0.5pt each-way
Battleoverdoyen ran a huge race in the Plate on Wednesday and he should be hard to beat in the Eileen Kelly Memorial Chase (race 3) if he's in the same form.
Gordon Elliott's charge got back to something like his best when successful in the corresponding race at last year's meeting (ran on the Friday) and he gets an extra two days of recovery from his Plate exertions this time around which counts as an added bonus.
This year's race appears to be a weaker renewal and he has a class edge over his rivals this time around. The rain that has arrived since Wednesday's run isn't a major concern given that he has wins to his name on soft ground, and he looks rock solid in his bid for a sixth chase win.
The mare, Politesse, arrives on the back of a career best and has been made the early favourite for the race but she would need to improve again to defy Battleoverdoyen if he runs to the same level he achieved on Wednesday.
The Flat maiden later on the card (race 6) has some depth but Wild Rover looked like a nice prospect at Navan last time and he should be capable of further progress for Jessica Harrington.
He was beaten roughly three lengths in that Navan maiden but he could hardly have been any more of an eyecatcher, storming home down the centre of the track to finish second.
He finished his race off in the manner of a horse that needed further and his pedigree suggests as much with his sire, dam and half-brothers all needing further than a sprint trip.
The form of that race looks solid too and it has been boosted since, with the winner going in again at Cork and the third hitting the frame in another maiden.
Furthermore, the yard could hardly be going much better with five winners at Galway already this week.
The Saxon Warrior colt has to concede weight to all but one of his rivals, but if he finds any improvement on just his fourth start, he looks up to the task.
Trainer John 'Shark' Hanlon has taken out the Plate here already this week and he might not be done just yet.
Blowing Dixie is yet to record a success over timber but he looked capable of winning races from this sort of mark at times last year, notably when runner-up at Downpatrick before a close up fourth at Kilbeggan roughly a year ago.
His reappearance run was encouraging when fourth of 13 on the Flat last time out and he's been cut some slack by the handicapper back in this sphere, 4lb lower than when last seen.
It's quite possible we haven’t seen the best of him over hurdles and he might be worth chancing at what should be each-way odds.
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