The jockey and Betway ambassador is looking forward to getting on Thomas Edison for the first time.
I was absolutely thrilled for Robbie McNamara to get his first Galway Festival win as a trainer on Tuesday with Cascavelle.
It got the biggest cheer of the day and that was lovely to see.
On to day four where the Galway Hurdle is the big race of the day. I’ve won it a couple of times in the past and it would be great to win it again.
Here are my thoughts on today’s eight races…
1.40pm: My first ride of the day is on Gordon Elliott’s Ballela Boy {ODDS:175285825:8/1} in the beginners chase.
He ran well on his chasing debut at Wexford last time and I won on him over hurdles two starts back at Down Royal in May.
He’d need to improve to win this, but he’s going the right way.
2.15pm: The novice chase looks quite a hot contest where I ride Potters Point {ODDS:175285836:18/1}, another for Gordon.
He’s consistent and has been knocking on the door, but I’d say it will be a tough ask for him.
Townshend is a class horse and there are plenty of others in there with decent form, so it will be an interesting race to watch.
2.50pm: The first of the Flat races on the card is a competitive 1m½f handicap and you’d have to give a chance to Ace Of Diamonds {ODDS:175285861:1/1} despite his wide draw.
Dermot Weld’s horse picked up a handicap at Leopardstown on his reappearance and looks to have been put away for this.
3.25pm: This Listed prize can go to Aidan O’Brien’s Music Box {ODDS:175285887:4/1}, who has been in great form and was second in a six furlong Listed race at Naas the last day.
The step back up to seven furlongs should be ideal for her here.
4.00pm: I’m on Its All Guesswork {ODDS:175285837:6/1} for Gordon in the novice hurdle. He’d been a bit disappointing in bumpers but he did it well at Bellewstown last month to break his duck in his first start over hurdles.
He has a fair chance but I’d say Willie Mullins’ two will be quite hard to beat.
4.35pm: The Galway Hurdle is the most valuable race of the week so we all obviously want to win it.
Above all else you need a quality horse to win it, as well as your fair share of luck. It can be a very rough race.
I’m riding the 2014 winner Thomas Edison {ODDS:175285892:12/1} for Tony Martin and I’m looking forward to getting on him for the first time.
He’d been off for a long time before his reappearance at Tipperary and realistically it’s going to be a tough ask for him.
Max Dynamite is the biggest danger. He’s a class horse and the fact Ruby [Walsh] is riding him over last year’s winner speaks volumes.
I’d also give Tigris River a big chance – he ran well in the race last year.
5.15pm: The 1m4f handicap is another typical Galway handicap.
I quite like the look of Shark Hanlon’s Camlann {ODDS:175285924:5/2} who has been in excellent form over hurdles lately.
6.00pm: The bumper can go to Chateauneuf Du Pap {ODDS:175285921:11/1} He’s got plenty of experience and may be able to put that to good use against his rivals.
