Kennedy opts for Return To Base as emphatic Punchestown winner goes handicapping

Wednesday: 6.10 Galway
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There has been no winning favourite of this lucrative mares' event since Busted Tycoon in 2013 and the average price of the last five winners is 16-1 so this is unquestionably one of the trickier puzzles of the week to solve.

The starting point has to be Return To Base, the choice of Jack Kennedy from a trio of fascinating and in-form mares representing Gordon Elliott. The handicapper had two pieces of hurdling evidence to go on and has handed her a mark of 111 on the back of a wide-margin Punchestown maiden hurdle victory.

There are mixed messages about the form of that event. The third home has been well beaten twice since, but the fifth won a bumper at Bellewstown in quite taking fashion this month and the eighth was just touched off in a Kilbeggan maiden hurdle too. Maybe there was more substance to it than there looked to be at the time and Return To Base could be better than her opening mark.

Shesadream and Hophornbeam, the stablemates of Return To Base, have both hit hot streaks this summer and won two of their three outings this season but could be in the grip of the handicapper now.

Purple Mountain, a maiden hurdle winner at this meeting last year, lost her way last winter. She weakened tamely in a valuable handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse in November but she did beat the boys in a Grade 3 novice hurdle at Tipperary in October. A mark of 123 would look very attractive if she returned to that sort of form here and she is the sole Willie Mullins representative.

Tullypole Annie comes here at the top of her game and Peter Flood has booked Rachael Blackmore for the big day. She burst clear up the straight at Ballinrobe to win a 16-runner handicap by six lengths and a 9lb rise in the weights is fair enough. She is only a four-year-old so there should be more to come.

The consistent Rebel Rose is another to consider but she looks more exposed than others.

Mrs Milner won this in 2020 off a mark of 116. She went on to win the Pertemps Final later in the season and is now rated 142, so it will be interesting to see if there is something similar lurking in the long grass this time around. Return To Base could fit the bill.

The famous Galway hat-trick

When Busted Tycoon won this race in 2013 it was the final leg of an audacious treble which etched her name forever in Ballybrit folklore. Three wins in six days.

The Tony Martin-trained filly made her first appearance of the week in a 2m Flat handicap on the Tuesday night under Fran Berry and powered home to win by a comfortable three and three-quarter lengths. She was 9-4 favourite.

She was 4-5 to win another 2m handicap on the Saturday and duly delivered under Shane Shortall, who was claiming 10lb at the time.

Busted Tycoon (white cap): completed a memorable Galway hat-trick in 2013Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The hat-trick was completed on the Sunday when Ruby Walsh delivered her with precision timing to lead inside the final 50 yards despite making a mistake at the last. She justified 11-10 favouritism by half a length.

"She was so well this morning, you wouldn't think she's had a race all week, so after seeing that we had to let her take her chance," the winning trainer said after her third win of the week.

Busted Tycoon's owner John Breslin has won the Galway Hurdle twice – Quick Jack in 2015 and Tudor City in 2019.

What they say

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Lunar Display
She has been a very consistent mare over the last year or so. She drops back down in class for this and we're hoping for a big run from her.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Shesadream, Hophornbeam and Return To Base
Jack [Kennedy] is on Return To Base. He gave her a lovely ride to win at Punchestown and hopefully there is more to come from her now that she goes handicapping. Shesadream beat a very good mare at Down Royal last month and, while she was a beaten favourite last time at Kilbeggan, she wasn't beaten far. Hophornbeam has been in really good form over the summer and Jordan [Gainford] won on her at Cartmel. She should go well.

Dermot McLoughlin, trainer of Two Shoe Tom
She's a consistent mare who has been mixing it between hurdles and fences over the last few months. You'd like to think that she has a decent each-way chance in what looks a very competitive race.

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of Faith Du Val
I thought it was a very nice run back at Kilbeggan after a break. I know it was only 12 days ago and we're coming back quick enough with her but she seems to have come out of the race in great order so I'm hoping for a good run from her.

Matthew Smith, trainer of Fulysee
She won narrowly at Fairyhouse back in November and, if she's back in that sort of form here, you'd like to think she has a decent chance. There is nice prize-money on offer so we were keen to have a crack.

Wednesday previews:

1.50 Goodwood: Is anyone capable of stopping Secret State's bid for a four-timer?

2.25 Goodwood: 'This is a good opening to win her first Group race' - who is feeling confident?

3.00 Goodwood: Who has the right pedigree to excel in a Molecomb test of raw speed?

3.35 Goodwood: World at his feet: Baaeed bidding to cement his number-one spot on global stage

6.40 Galway: 'He's still unexposed' - who fancies their chances of winning the Galway Plate?

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