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Colin Phillips

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Rather inappropriate of me to be starting this thread and I don't expect to be making many contributions to it, but a runner this evening has caught my eye.

Richard Fahey has made what appears to be a strange decision to send Lecanvey over to make his seasonal debut in the 7f. handicap at 7.35.

I was impressed with the appearance and the run of this horse when I saw him at Sandown last year. He was a fast-finishing third that day, beaten a head and a short-head over the 5f. track.

I was disappointed and somewhat poorer when he ran next in a Class 2 6f. nursery at Haydock nine days later. He never showed and finished 11th, reportedly "outpaced 2 out" in the Racing Post.

The Post shows the owner as being J.J. Staunton, is there a particular Galway connection possibly?
 
There is Colin ~ the combination won a decent handicap at the meeting last year with Sadler's Kingdom and like many Irish owner/trainer combo's based in England, like to come across to Galway to land a punt. Kevin Ryan, Mick Quinlan, Sylvester Kirk are three others I can think of to have landed prizes for ex-pat owners in recent years.
 
I was looking at this earlier. It turns out J J Staunton is also the owner of Halla San, who runs in the feature race, so Lecanvey's appearance here might be less significant that it appears.

Halla San looks to have a fine chance in that race but his rider's lack of experience is a big negative.

Richard Fahey has several other entries made for the rest of the week at Galway and is most unlikely to leave without a winner.

PS: Sadler's Kingdom won for Mr Staunton at Galway last year
 
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Staunton would be a Galway name (O'Standun would be its Irish equivalent)....possible some connection to Staunton Sportswear, one of the larger sports shops in Galway?
 
Halla San in the GPT

Actually was thinking that Halla San being by Halling might appreciate the firmish ground around Ballybrit this evening, given his close second to Arc Blue in the Northumberland Plate. Anyone know anything about Ben Hamilton who claims 7?

Unusally, in the RP previews, DK Weld is talking up Galistic from the Flynn yard as being the class act in the race. She finished second to Welds Profound Beauty at Leopardstown last time. Galistic has 12-0 to carry tonight though which is a lot around a tight track and in a large field.
 
My Irish cousin (Desperate O`Daniel) has again been in touch to tell me Seperate Ways will definitely be "trying" in this race. Well drawn and Heffernan replaces the apprentice who rather messed things up at Killarney last time out.
 
The only horse I'd be somewhat tempted to part with money on is Ghimaar. He was quite negatively ridden at Ascot, but despite not being beaten too far, didn't really stay on as well as I'd hoped for one that so little use was made of early on. However that was a much better race and I don't see any scope for big improvers in this race.

Around 3/1 does seem a fair price, but I feel like a bit of a mug backing a Weld handicap favourite at the Galway festival - that alone will probably mean I leave it alone.

Ugly, ugly days racing. A money printing exercise for the bookmakers at Ballybrit.
 
Mighty Moon was bought at the sales last autumn to win this particular 2m handicap that he contests this evening at Galway and the race has been his target all year. He was put away after York to protect his handicap mark. He runs in the colours of Mr Enda Huston, who won twice at this fixture in 2006 with Bolodenka.
 
Lecanvey makes his second appearance of the week in the 7.55 this evening, he will have to run a lot better than his first effort if he is going to be involved.
 
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