Mullins aims strong battalion at Galway Festival
Willie Mullins has a strong squad for the Galway Festival Photo: ©INPHO/Tom Maher
Closutton maestro Willie Mullins shows no signs of letting up his dominance of horse racing next week as he holds plenty of entries across next week’s Galway Festival.
The powerhouse trainer looks set to send a hefty battalion to Ballybrit to compete over the popular Festival, which kicks off on Monday.
Of the 735 races run at Galway since 2010, no less than 100 of them have been won by Mullins and he aims to stamp his authority once again this year.
Below is a run through of who Mullins could have in action on day one of the Festival, where BoyleSports will be offering the latest Galway Festival odds:
This four-year-old has had just two racecourse runs so far in his career but his last one was a victory as a 2/1 favourite at Listowel back on June 4 in a two-mile and a half Flat contest, with top amateur jockey Patrick Mullins on board. La Note Verte tackles obstacles for the first time early next should they line up at Ballybrit and a good run is expected.
Mullins could have another representative in Monday’s novice hurdle with Sysko, who is one win from one run so far having been picked up from France after scoring in a two-mile contest at Nort Ser Erdre and could make his debut for team Mullins at Galway on Monday.
The handicap hurdle on day one could see Mullins send Moon Rise Beauty to race, a seven-year-old who has two wins from ten runs under rules, most recently scoring in a Cork maiden hurdle in August 2023 but has disappointed since with eighth and fifth placed finishes in the lead up to Galway.
Nine-year-old Dods Lad could be one of five to feature for Mullins in the 2m1f handicap hurdle on Galway’s day one card. Dod’s Lad has six wins from 25 runs under rules but hasn’t been seen in the winners’ enclosure since 2022 when scoring in a Handicap Chase at Cheltenham’s Old Course.
This five-year-old has two wins from 11 under rules and will be making just his second start for Mullins should he line up at Galway, with his debut a very disappointing 15th of 17 in a Curragh handicap on his first spin for the Closutton team.
Mullins could hand another yard debut to Spasiba at Galway, who switched to his yard from the Sam Curling team earlier this month having had one win in six starts under rules.
Perhaps Mullins’ best chance in this race is with Lot Of Joy, a six-year-old with three wins in his career so far. Lot Of Joy was third on his last outing at the Curragh in a one mile and four furlong handicap as he switched to hurdles off a decent midfield finish in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket last year.
Finally for this race, Mullins’ five-year-old Tounsivator also holds an entry. Scooped up from France in 2023, he was a winner on yard debut in February at Naas but hasn’t quite fired in three runs since.
The final race on day one is the bumper and, as the old saying goes, backing Mullins in a card-closing bumper is never a bad idea. Mullins has three entries here including Cause For Comment who makes his racecourse debut here.
Another potential debutant for Mullins here is More Coko, another four-year-old heading to the racetrack for the very first time.
A final potential debutant for the Closutton handler is North Moon, another four-year-old who will be making his first foray into the racing world.
