SEVEN CRAZY DAYS IN GALWAY

Karl Hedley is looking forward to another action-packed festival

- Karl Hedley

The Ebor Handicap is the centrepiece of York’s fourday August meeting and is invariably one of the toughest races of the year for punters to solve.

Ebor Handicap is the centrepiece of York’s four-day August meeting and is invariably one of the toughest races of the year for punters to solve, as befit The Flat season is well and truly upon us and horses are gearing up towards the Galway Festival at the end of the month. The seven-day extravaganza on Ireland’s west coast will be welcoming back full crowds for the first time in three years. There are some excellent Group races at the Curragh this month too. I will take a run through those horses who have caught the eye over the last few weeks and who look likely to be heading to either.

In-form jockey Gary Carroll continued his golden run with victory aboard 8/1 shot Many Tears in a three-year-old fillies’ maiden at Gowran Park earlier in the month. The Showcasing filly broke well to lead in this seven-furlong assignment before taking a lead off Machnamh before the half-way stage.

Many Tears came off the bridle turning for home, but she found for Carroll and was back in front a furlong and a half down. Golden Spangle looked the danger as she loomed large on the outer, but Many Tears was resolute on the climb for home.

The front two had the race to themselves deep in the final furlong and flashed past the post with Many Tears a neck in front. The winner certainly didn’t go unbacked having been as big as 20/1 this morning before going off at 8s. The runner-up was the 6/5 favourite.

Machnamh, a stablemate of Golden Spangle, kept at it in third at 7/2 from 13/2. She was two and a-quarter-lengths off the battle for first place.