4.50 Galway: the one race you cannot afford to miss on Tuesday

Guinness Handicap Chase | 2m2f | 4yo+ | RTV

Why is it interesting?

Effernock Lad has improved rapidly this year but then again, the same could be said about a lot of Gerry Keane's inmates.

The trainer is having his best year for a long time, highlighted by the premier handicap success of Laughifuwant at Galway in the summer, and he will be hoping his good run continues in this.

It is hard to believe that, at the age of ten, Effornock Lad is improving, but he posted a career-best effort at Sligo a fortnight ago.

Effernock Lad will need to take another step forward to score off a 6lb higher mark of 118, but few would put that past him given how well Keane's horses have been running of late.

What do the stats say?

The favourite has won three of the past eight runnings of this €21,500 handicap chase and none of the winners since 2010 have gone off bigger than a 10-1 chance.

Pateen has won one of his two starts at this track.

What do the tipsters say?

The market could be informative here, especially concerning the handicap debutants Pateen and Portmore Lough but Punches Cross is a very consistent operator, and would have been closer with a clear run in a better contest than this at Listowel last time. Effernock Lad and Bilbo Bagins should go well.
Tyrone Molloy

What do connections say?

Frank Berry, racing manager to JP McManus, owner of Nearly Nama'd, Punches Cross and Portmore Lough
Nearly Nama'd has won at Galway before and he likes the place. He'll like the ground as well but he's lost his way a bit. With ground and everything, hopefully he might come back to form and run a big race. Punches Cross ran a respectable race at Listowel where he made a few mistakes. He won't mind the ground and we're hoping for a good run from him. Portmore Lough had an injury and has been off for a good while so hopefully he'll come on for the run.

John Ryan, trainer of Reach Up
He's had a few issues – nothing serious, just niggly things. We seem to have him in a good place now.

Adrian Murray, trainer of Bilbo Baggins
It's his first run after a summer break and he's in great form. I think he'll run well. He's got plenty of ability and was second [at the track] last year after a break so I'd be hopeful that he'll be in the first three. He's going to love the ground.

Mick Winters, trainer of Damut
He runs his best races fresh. Paul Moloney had him during the summer and did plenty with him. He's been back a fortnight and looks a million dollars so we're depending on Paul's good work. We're hoping for a very good run.

Gerry Keane, trainer of Effernock Lad
This is another step up in class for him, but sure we're hopeful. It was a career best from him at Sligo and another is what's needed here.

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