Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
JUMP GIANTS GOING TO WAR
National Hunt super-powers take aim at Plate
JP Mcmanus and Gigginstown, the two super-powers of Irish National Hunt racing, will go head-to-head in Wednesday’s Tote-sponsored Galway Plate.
Between them, Ireland’s leading owners will account for almost half of the 22 strong field for the traditional highlight of the Festival.
And the history books show Mcmanus has lifted the Plate on six occasions, stretching back to Shining Flame in 1978, while Gigginstown made the breakthrough with Road To Riches in 2014 and struck again with Lord Scoundrel two years ago.
Five different trainers have saddled Plate winners for Mcmanus – Edward O’grady (Shining Flame), Christy Roche (Grimes and Far From Trouble), Tom Taaffe (Finger On the Pulse), Tom Mullins (Bob Lingo) and John Kiely (Carlingford Lough).
On Wednesday, the familiar ‘green and gold’ will be carried by the Jessica Harrington-trained Rock The World and Don’t Touch It, Edward O’grady’s long absent Kitten Rock, Uttoxeter winner Drumcliff, which will represent English trainer Harry Fry, and, hopefully, Slowmotion.
A creditable fourth behind Balko Des Flos last year, when relatively inexperienced, Slowmotion has been trained all year for another tilt at the Plate by Joseph O’brien, but needs two higherrated rivals to come out of the race to get her chance.
Gigginstown will be responsible for the two top-weights Sub Lieutenant and Valseur
Lido (right) both trained by Henry de Bromhead, who has won two of the last three renewals of the race, with Shanahan’s Turn
(2015) and Balko
Des Flos last year.
And the inform County
Waterford handler will also saddle second season novice Calino D’airy, twice a winner around Ballybrit in October and last seen when third to the illfated Finian’s Oscar in a Grade 1 novice at Aintree. And this fellow, off 10-11, looks a definite player.
The Gigginstown challenge will also include 2016 winner Lord Scoundrel and Clarcam, both trained by Gordon Elliott, who will also run De Plotting Shed and arguably, his most interesting contender Jury Duty.
But there’s a lot more to the 2018 Plate than a Mcmanus v Gigginstown clash, with the Willie Mullins-trained Patrick’s Park expected to be sent off favourite.
Successful at Leopardstown in February and at the Punchestown Festival, Patrick, however, might struggle to make the line-up as he was No.26 on the list following last week’s forfeit.
Other likely runners from Closutton are
Alelchi Inois, Ballycasey,
Koshari and Haymount.
Tully East has been well-supported since betting started.
Third to Patrick’s
Park at Punchestown, he had his prep run behind Joey Sasa in the Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary.
Noel Meade will rely on Snow Falcon and Jessica Harrington will mount a strong challenge with Woodland Opera and Neverushacon set to join the Mcmanus-owned pair Rock The World and Don’t Touch It in the field.
And another to attract support in the ante-post market Peregrine Run also has definite claims. This fellow has won three of his six starts over fences, caught the eye when fourth to Wicklow Brave, on the flat, in Killarney two weeks ago but will be making his handicap chase debut.