Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MAE BE THE ONE
A COLOSSAL Pick 6 rollover of over €400,000 makes tomorrow’s already interesting Galway card a hugely significant one for punters. It wouldn’t come as any surprise to see the Pick 6 pool swell to twice its current amount as the card is an attractive one for punters and sees the reappearance of several quality jumpers. Among those starting off for the season is Getaway Katie Mae who lines up in a very interesting mares maiden hurdle. This John Queallytrained daughter of Getaway ended last season on a high by landing the mares bumper at Aintree. Prior to that she chased home Relegate in a mares bumper at Leopardstown and that rival went on to win at Cheltenham which shows just how good last term’s top bumper mares were. This looks a good opportunity for Getaway Katie Mae to make a winning debut in the JP Mcmanus colours but she faces a good test from Tintangle. She wasn’t quite as good as Getaway Katie Mae but was still a very good bumper mare and she should do well over hurdles this term. The second race on the card sees Gordon Elliott take the wraps off one of his Cheltenham Festival winners in Blow By Blow. The hero of last season’s Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle switches to fences in the beginners chase and he should be a decent staying novice chaser this term. He wasn’t at his best at Fairyhouse and Punchestown in the spring but he was probably feeling the effects of a busy season. This looks a nice opportunity for him and he should deal with Dorans River who was still in with a chance at Limerick last time only to exit at the second last. Wicklow Brave will be very warm order to regain the winning thread in the three mile conditions hurdle but maybe vulnerable at this trip. He is a high class two miler and could very easily stay this distance but his stamina is unproven and maybe Jamie Sommers will cause an upset. With her rider’s claim she is getting a lot of weight from Wicklow and she has run well over this trip in the past. She will have to improve on her recent efforts over fences but she is a better hurdler than a chaser. Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh should make their mark with Karl Der Grosse in the novice hurdle.