Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
It will be very hard to Gag Horse over hurdles
EVERYTHING SPEAKS IN GELDING’S FAVOUR
GAGAS Horse, representing Adrian Maguire and Paul Townend, will be tough to beat on his hurdling debut in the opening Limerick racecourse Family Fun Maiden Hurdle in Limerick tomorrow.
This Kayf Tara gelding opened his account, at the fourth attempt in bumpers, when scoring on this track in May and, although beaten in a winners event at Down Royal last time, makes plenty of appeal.
The selection was beaten seven lengths by the Willie Mullins-trained Minella Beau in Cork at Easter but, on 7lb better terms, comprehensively turned the tables on his rival here a month later.
Last time, Gagas Horse made the running at Down Royal but, headed two furlongs out, was unable to pick-up and eventually finished a well-beaten third behind Laoch Liam, but alongside odds-on favourite Los Alamos
Adrian Maguire has found a good opportunity for Gagas Horse to make a successful start over hurdles here. And, expected to be ridden prominently, he gets the nod over Gordon Elliott’s AN CAISTEAL
The Galway Plate Trial Handicap Chase looks a wide open affair. And the Noel Meade-trained NET D’ECOSSE is no more than a hopeful choice.
The Gigginstown-owned seven-year-old hasn’t won over fences since landing his novice at Punchestown in December 2015.
But he has run creditably in two of his last three starts, both at Down Royal, when narrowly beaten by Swantykay in early May and, last time, when failing by a head to catch the solid yardstick Sandymount Duke in a race of this type.
Those efforts were separated by a lacklustre effort in the Connacht National at Roscommon, when he failed to spark and was pulled up.
Fitted with blinkers for the first time tomorrow, Sean Flanagan’s mount has each-way prospects in a very tough race, with Steve Mahon’s ARANHILL
CHIEF, runner-up to Kilcarry Bridge on his return to action in the Mayo Natoonal at Ballinrobe among the dangers.
Winner of a maiden hurdle in Tipperary before finishing third to Morgan at Wexford, the Jessica Harrington-trained topweight REBELLION BOY has definite claims in the competitive-looking Atomic Chicken Play 22nd July Rated Hurdle.