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Five horses beaten at the Galway festival who can gain compensation next time

Davids Charm: jumps the last before winning the €100,000 handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse
Davids Charm: jumps the last before winning the €100,000 handicap hurdle at FairyhouseCredit: Caroline Norris

Winner Takes Itall(Joseph O'Brien)

The support which arrived for the son of Nathaniel ahead of his hurdling debut in a hot race suggested he had been doing everything right at home and he certainly shaped with promise in the 2m novice hurdle which kicked off the festival. He made a few errors, only natural on his jumping debut, but the ease with which he moved into contention on the home turn was striking. He ought to be able to pick up a maiden hurdle.

Davids Charm(John Joe Walsh)

It is not that Davids Charm was particularly unlucky in the Guinness Galway Hurdle, it was more the race was not run to suit. They crawled most of the way and the fact 33-1 outsider Due Reward almost stole it from the front tells you all you need to know. John Joe Walsh's charge will be more effective in a more truly run contest and when things do fall into place, he can plunder a valuable pot off a mark in the low 140s. Perhaps the Coral Hurdle at Leopardstown's Dublin Racing Festival could be his long-term aim.

Engles Rock (Mark McNiff)

The way Engles Rock was ridden on her two outings at Galway meant she was always a hostage to fortune and the gaps did not open. She was particularly unlucky in the 7f handicap on the opening evening when finishing full of running in seventh and the leaders had flown by the time she got out in a mile handicap two days later. When the ground softens, she can strike off her current mark of 76.

Like An Open Book(John Burke)

This nine-year-old ran a remarkable race in the 2m mares handicap hurdle on Wednesday. She is a hold-up performer but Sean Flanagan went all around the houses on the daughter of Well Chosen and snatched third in the closing stages. Like An Open Book covered more ground than any other horse in the race and the way she shaped suggested she is capable of collecting a similar contest off her current mark of 121.

Beckwith Place(Tracey Collins)

Favourite backers would have been tearing their hair out after the concluding 7f handicap on Tuesday evening when the strongly supported 2-1 favourite failed by a nostril to reel in Make A Challenge. He made up an astonishing amount of ground in the final 100 yards and the fact the winner supplemented the success later in the week under a 6lb penalty only adds to the feeling Tracey Collins' charge will be very hard to beat next time.


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David JenningsDeputy Ireland editor

Published on 6 August 2019inNews

Last updated 11:30, 6 August 2019

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