Racing:Donald McCain aims to bring the Guinness Galway Hurdle trophy back to Britain for the second time in three years with the improving Lexi's Boy. The Grand National-winning trainer saddled his fantastic dual-purpose performer Overturn to win the prestigious handicap in 2010, the first UK-trained winner of the race since Sagaman in 1991.
Lexi’s Boy has won four times from seven starts over obstacles and warmed up for his Irish raid with two fine efforts on the Flat, winning the Cumberland Plate at Carlisle before finishing sixth in Haydock’s Old Newton Cup. “He has a good racing weight (10st 6lb) and the rain has come, which will suit him, so we’re very hopeful,” said McCain.
“He is a little bit better off at the weights in Ireland than he would be here as he gets a four-year-old allowance. The only worry is whether things will happen a bit quick for him round there, as he is essentially still a novice over hurdles. There’s only one way to find out, so we’ll give it a go and see what happens.”
Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins last won the Galway Hurdle with Mystical City in 1996 and he has a strong team of three runners this year. Last year’s Galway Plate heroine Blazing Tempo reverts to the smaller obstacles and is joined by Drive Time — unbeaten in two starts for Mullins — and Rattan.
“We could have gone for the Plate again with Blazing Tempo, but I just feel she is nicely handicapped over hurdles at the moment,” said Mullins. “She’s in good form and she’ll take whatever ground comes on Thursday, it doesn’t seem to matter to her.
“Drive Time has his chance and I would like a lot of rain for him. Having said that, he has won on better ground as well, so we’ll see what happens.”
Last year’s winner Moon Dice returns to defend his crown, but following heavy rain he can expect much different conditions to those he encountered 12 months ago. Trainer Paul Flynn said: “He hasn’t run since the County Hurdle in Cheltenham as he was quite sick afterwards, but he’s back in great form now and I’m very happy with him.
“He’s definitely in similar form to how he was going into last year’s race and the only real worry is the ground. We could do with it drying out a bit.”
Rebel Fitz turns out under a penalty having won the Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary less than a fortnight ago. Trainer Michael Winters is keeping his fingers crossed those recent exertions have not taken too much out of his charge.
He said: “We probably would have preferred a few more days so we could have settled him down a bit but he looks good and he’s grubbing well, so I think he’s in good shape. We’re hopeful he’ll run well and he seemed to handle the softer ground down the back in Tipperary.”
Despite leading ante-post fancy Carlingford Lough not making the cut, owner JP McManus still has four confirmed runners and a reserve to rely on. Edward Harty saddles three of the McManus team in the veteran Captain Cee Bee, recent Curragh winner Princeton Plains and outsider Karabak.
Harty said: “He ran a good second in the Grimes Hurdle the other week and won nicely on the Flat at the Curragh before that and seems in good form. “The ground is not ideal for him, but I don’t suppose it will be for many runners in the race, so we’ll give it a go.
“Princeton Plains is in good shape and he enjoyed a lovely win over 10 furlongs at the Curragh. Again, if you were choosing what ground you wanted for him, this wouldn’t be it, but he ran a good fifth in this race last year and has won at Galway before.
“It’s Karabak’s first run in a while and we’d be happy if he ran an encouraging race. If he can use his stamina in the sticky ground, he could run well.”