Galway
·
W.B. Gavin & Co. Handicap Hurdle
Starts in
15h 27min
Turf track
Detail:
All runners, sorted by TrackLab Score
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Why this score
- Has only raced on this type of ground once or twice, so it is hard to say if it suits the horse.
- C. Byrnes wins 12.6% of all their races. That is a solid record. Good trainers get horses ready well and pick the right races.
- 19 runners today is not the number this horse wants. The number of runners changes how a race is run.
TrackLab Insight
Top-rated by 5lbs but hasn't won since November 2023 — a 19-month drought that raises real questions about current form despite his Class 1 pedigree. The soft ground at Galway suits him well (he's won on good turf), but his record on softer conditions when yielding creeps in is a worry, and a 297-day absence before his last run suggests he's still finding his feet.
Top rated by 5lbs
Why this score
- Has raced 3 times on this ground with a low win rate. Today's ground may not suit it.
- Today's race is over 2m 6f. That distance looks right for this horse. Running over the right distance matters a lot.
- This is a 19-runner race, and the size is not ideal. A big field means more traffic. A small field means nowhere to hide.
TrackLab Insight
Second-highest rated but has pulled up in his last two outings and shows a troubling pattern: only 1 win from 3 starts on soft ground, yet 0 wins from 10 starts on softer ground variations. At 8 years old with just 17 career races, there's untapped potential, but recent form is actively discouraging.
2nd highest rated (OR 130)
Why this score
- Very little experience on today's ground. With so few runs, we cannot say if it suits the horse.
- A 7.2% overall win rate for B. Hayes. Good jockeys make better decisions during a race.
- 19 runners today is not the number this horse wants. The number of runners changes how a race is run.
TrackLab Insight
No clear distinguishing angle separates this 6-year-old from the field, and his record — 2 wins from 16 races, a 14th-place finish in his last outing — doesn't help. The soft ground here exposes a serious weakness: he's 0 from 9 combined starts on soft and heavy conditions.
No clear distinguishing angle in this field
Why this score
- This horse runs well on today's ground, with a 20% win rate from 5 runs. The ground makes a big difference in racing.
- Has not raced for 227 days. That is a long time away, and we cannot be sure the horse will be fit enough.
- G. Cromwell has a 6.7% win rate at this course. It is not their strongest track. Some stables do better at some tracks than others.
TrackLab Insight
The standout of this field: wins roughly 1 in 3 races (31% career rate) and owns Cheltenham with 3 wins from 7 starts there — a level of dominance that speaks volumes. At 9 years old he's battle-tested, and while the 227-day gap since his last run is notable, a 4th at Cheltenham remains respectable form.
Best career win rate in field (1 in 3)
Why this score
- Has only raced on this type of ground once or twice, so it is hard to say if it suits the horse.
- An official rating of 127 is in this horse's favour. The rating comes from results, and this horse's number looks good.
- 19 runners today is not the number this horse wants. The number of runners changes how a race is run.
TrackLab Insight
Won back-to-back races in late 2024/early 2025 and has soft ground form (1 win from 5 starts), but his recent return has been unconvincing — 8th at Down Royal just 26 days ago, beaten 15 lengths. Gordon Elliott's yard is elite, but a 9% career win rate and struggles on anything faster than soft ground mark him as a marginal proposition here.
Top-3 finishes in 2 of last 3 races
Why this score
- Very little experience on today's ground. With so few runs, we cannot say if it suits the horse.
- The average finish over the last three races is strong. Steady results like that are a good sign.
- A 19-runner race works against this horse. Too many runners can mean getting boxed in. Too few can mean nowhere to hide.
TrackLab Insight
The only course winner in the field — he won at Galway exactly a year ago — and carries an impressive 40% win rate with jockey Sam Ewing. The fatal flaw: 0 wins from 5 starts on soft ground, making today's conditions a serious headwind despite his Galway pedigree.
Has won over this course and distance
Why this score
- This horse runs well on today's ground, with a 50% win rate from 4 runs. The ground makes a big difference in racing.
- Today's race is over 2m 6f. That distance looks right for this horse. Running over the right distance matters a lot.
- A 19-runner race works against this horse. Too many runners can mean getting boxed in. Too few can mean nowhere to hide.
TrackLab Insight
Best record on soft ground in the field (2 wins from 4 starts) and recently active, making him a natural fit for today's conditions. However, he hasn't won since May 2024 — nearly two years — and his last three runs yielded only midfield finishes, suggesting that soft-ground edge may have dulled with time.
Best record on this ground (2 from 4)
Why this score
- Has only raced on this type of ground once or twice, so it is hard to say if it suits the horse.
- An official rating of 125 is in this horse's favour. The rating comes from results, and this horse's number looks good.
- A 19-runner race works against this horse. Too many runners can mean getting boxed in. Too few can mean nowhere to hide.
TrackLab Insight
Wins roughly 1 in 5 races (21% career rate) with 2 wins from 6 starts on soft ground, offering genuine appeal for today's conditions. Recent form is uneven — a win at Fairyhouse 245 days ago followed by two fifths and a sixth — but his win rate and soft-ground record stand out in this field.
One of the more successful in the field (4 career wins)
Why this score
- Has only raced on this type of ground once or twice, so it is hard to say if it suits the horse.
- A 2m 6f race suits this horse well. When a horse is comfortable with the distance, it can settle into a good rhythm.
- A 4.9% record at this course for E. Christopher McCarthy. This is not a track where the trainer has done well.
TrackLab Insight
This 6-year-old looks green: just 7 career races with 1 win and limited experience. His last two runs show promise (3rd and 5th in successive outings 371+ days ago), but a 10th-place finish 30 days ago and a 14% win rate offer little encouragement for a handicap of this calibre.
Top-3 finishes in 2 of last 3 races
Why this score
- Very little experience on today's ground. With so few runs, we cannot say if it suits the horse.
- Has won 1 time at this course from 2 runs. A horse that has won here before may like the course.
- A 19-runner race works against this horse. Too many runners can mean getting boxed in. Too few can mean nowhere to hide.
TrackLab Insight
A course winner at Galway but has managed just 3 wins from 24 races (12% rate) and shows inconsistency that's hard to back. The positive: he won at Galway and finished 3rd at Punchestown just 10 days ago. The negative: soft ground has never been his friend, and switching jockeys to Philip Donovan for the first time adds another layer of uncertainty.
One of few course winners (1 wins here)
Why this score
- 2m 6f is a good distance for this horse. Over its best distance, it can run its own race.
- Rated 120 by the official rater. That is a strong number based on past results.
- S. Joseph Allen wins only 0% of the time here. That weak record at this course counts against the horse.
TrackLab Insight
Here's the real problem: this 9-year-old has never raced on soft ground in his 15-race career, making today a complete unknown. He won at Limerick 216 days ago but fell at Fairyhouse 201 days back, so recent form is fragile at best.
Never raced on soft ground
Why this score
- 2m 6f is a good distance for this horse. Over its best distance, it can run its own race.
- Has won 4 times at this course from 12 runs. A horse that has won here before may like the course.
- 19 runners today is not the number this horse wants. The number of runners changes how a race is run.
TrackLab Insight
Galway is his fortress: 4 wins from 12 starts (33%) here, which is genuinely compelling, and he has soft-ground form too (2 wins from 7 starts). However, a long career grind (4 wins from 38 races overall) and recent results — 10th, 3rd, 5th — show he's struggling to find consistency away from his happy place.
Course specialist (4 wins from 12 here)
Why this score
- Has had 41 career runs, so it is an experienced racehorse. Experience helps in a tough race.
- An average finish of 2.7 over the last three races. Finishing near the front this often is a good sign.
- A 19-runner race works against this horse. Too many runners can mean getting boxed in. Too few can mean nowhere to hide.
TrackLab Insight
Most experienced horse in the field (41 races) but has won just 3 times (7% rate) — a grinding campaign that hasn't improved. His last six runs yielded nothing but top-3 finishes and a 10th, while soft ground has proven his Achilles heel (0 wins from 4 starts), making today's conditions all the more problematic.
Most experienced (41 runs, field avg 17)
Why this score
- This type of ground has not suited the horse: 3 runs without much success. Some horses prefer different ground.
- Finishing 1st last time is encouraging. A horse that finishes well is usually in good shape.
- A 4.5% record at this course for C. A. Murphy. This is not a track where the trainer has done well.
TrackLab Insight
The longest absence in the field: 477 days since last race, returning after 268 days without action. That's a recovery challenge almost impossible to overcome, and while he won at Wexford just after that gap, a single victory from 9 races shows limited ceiling anyway.
Absent 477 days (longest in field)
Why this score
- A 6.9% overall win rate for E. McNamara. That suggests a trainer who picks the right races for their horses.
- 2m 6f is a good distance for this horse. Over its best distance, it can run its own race.
- G. Brouder wins 3.7% of their races overall. That is below the average for professional jockeys.
TrackLab Insight
Relatively inexperienced (just 4 career races) with a 25% win rate and a recent success at Limerick, suggesting he has potential. However, he's been idle 299 days and his Galway form was poor (5th by 12 lengths a year ago), leaving much unproven about whether he belongs at this level.
Relatively inexperienced (4 career races)
Why this score
- Today's race is over 2m 6f. That distance looks right for this horse. Running over the right distance matters a lot.
- Its average finish over the last three runs is 1. That is steady. Horses that finish near the front often do so again.
- D. G Murphy wins only 0% of the time here. That weak record at this course counts against the horse.
TrackLab Insight
Relatively inexperienced mare (7 races) with an impressive 29% win rate and consistency — 6 of 7 races in the money.
Relatively inexperienced (7 career races)
Why this score
- Very little experience on today's ground. With so few runs, we cannot say if it suits the horse.
- Today's race is over 2m 6f. That distance looks right for this horse. Running over the right distance matters a lot.
- A 19-runner race works against this horse. Too many runners can mean getting boxed in. Too few can mean nowhere to hide.
TrackLab Insight
Has soft-to-heavy form (2 wins from 5 starts) and finished 2nd at Punchestown, 1st at Thurles — decent form 233–262 days ago — but the critical weakness is clear: 0 wins from 4 starts on pure soft ground. At 9 years old and 11% career win rate, he's a peripheral player.
Best record at this trip (1 from 3)
Why this score
- Has an official rating of 109. This is a score from the official rater, and a higher number means a better horse. This horse is rated well.
- Has only raced on this type of ground once or twice, so it is hard to say if it suits the horse.
- 19 runners today is not the number this horse wants. The number of runners changes how a race is run.
TrackLab Insight
Carries the lowest weight but has earned it: just 2 wins from 22 races (9% rate) and 0 wins from 3 starts on soft ground. His last run 65 days ago was a distant 6th, and there's nothing in his profile to suggest today will be any different.
Carries lowest weight in field
Why this score
- Very little experience on today's ground. With so few runs, we cannot say if it suits the horse.
- S. Torrens wins 6.2% of all their races. That is a strong record. A jockey who wins often gives a horse a better chance.
- A 4.9% record at this course for E. Christopher McCarthy. This is not a track where the trainer has done well.
TrackLab Insight
Winless from 6 career races and lowest-rated in the field by 12lbs — a 5-year-old who fell last time and has yet to finish in the top 3. His presence here suggests the handicapper is still looking for a level where he competes, but soft ground and this field offer no obvious breakthrough moment.
Lowest rated, 12lbs below average
What the colours mean
40+ Very strong chance
20–39 Strong chance
12–19 Solid chance
6–11 Could surprise
Under 6 Long shot
Scores in a race add up to 100.How scores workModel estimates, not guaranteed. Past performance is no guide.
What these words mean
- Underrated horse
- We think this horse has a better chance than the bookmakers' odds suggest.
- Our top pick
- The horse with the highest TrackLab Score in the race.
- TrackLab Score
- Our model's estimate of a horse's chance of winning, as a number out of 100. The scores in a race add up to 100.
- Ground
- How the going was on the day, from Firm (hard and dry) to Heavy (very wet and muddy). On all-weather tracks it's Standard, Fast or Slow.
- Race level (Class)
- From Class 1 (elite) down to Class 7 (lowest).
- Group, Grade and Listed
- The top races. Group 1 on the Flat and Grade 1 over jumps are the highest level, then 2 and 3. Listed races sit just below.
- Handicap
- The handicapper gives better horses more weight to carry, so in theory they'd all finish together.
- Maiden
- A race for horses that haven't won yet.
- Novice
- A race for horses that are new to this type of race.
- Chase, hurdle and bumper
- Chase: jumps over fences. Hurdle: jumps over low hurdles. Bumper: a flat race for young jump horses.
- Distance (m and f)
- m is a mile and f a furlong, about 200 metres; 8 furlongs make a mile.
- Each way
- A bet that pays out if your horse wins or finishes in the top 3 (how far down it pays varies by race). It is really two bets.
- Weight
- How much the horse carries, including the jockey. 9st 5lb means nine stone five pounds.
- Jockey claim
- An apprentice jockey can claim a weight discount, so the horse carries a little less.
- Headgear
- Blinkers, visor, cheekpieces, tongue tie, hood and eyeshield change what the horse sees or feels.