Wednesday racing tips: Kilcruit a big player in Galway Plate
Our best bets for Wednesday's racing include one selection each from Goodwood, Galway and Sandown.
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There is a lot of top quality racing action in store across Britain and Ireland on Wednesday as both Glorious Goodwood and the Galway Races continue at pace.
The marquee meetings are joined by cards on the Flat from Leicester, Redcar and Sandown, as well as jumps fare from Perth on a busy day.
The Sussex Stakes (15:35) is the big race at Glorious Goodwood and odds-on favourite Paddington has lots in his favour in his quest to complete a four-timer in Group 1 company this summer for Aidan O'Brien.
Before that, we could see a smart performer in the Molecomb Stakes over five furlongs.
Wednesday Selections:
KYLIAN (15:00, Goodwood)
KILCRUIT (18:40, Galway)
BATTISTA (17:52, Sandown)
Kylian to strike fear into Molecomb rivals
The Group 3 Molecomb Stakes at Glorious Goodwood serves as the preamble to the Sussex Stakes and this five-furlong contest should be a firecracker.
The likes of Basheer, Shagraan and Purosangue are all open to progress but the market is shaped around KYLIAN and Big Evs.
The latter won the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot in June for Mick Appleby on his second career start, making him a major player, but Karl Burke's Invincible Spirit colt is preferred.
After cutting his teeth by finishing third and then second in novice company at York and Carlisle, he won a Tapeta novice at Newcastle in June over this trip.
It was his tearaway Dragon Stakes win at Sandown last month that marked him down as potentially special.
Ryan Moore rode for the first time there and they scampered six-lengths clear of some good benchmarks. With no Ballydoyle interest here, Moore rides again and he does so for a Burke team that started into Goodwood week boasting a 27 per-cent recent strike-rate. Kylian can find the target for them.
Kilcruit a big player in Galway feature
Over in Ireland, day three of the Galway Races meeting brings with it the famous Galway Plate, a Grade 3 Handicap Chase over two-miles-six-and-a-half-furlongs worth €162,000 to winning connections.
Hewick bagged this last year and is back now for another go, but Shark Hanlon's eight-year-old has top-weight to contend with and must give 7lb to KILCRUIT .
He was of course touted for big things early in his career and was a top bumper horse in 2020/21 but things didn't perhaps progress as anticipated over hurdles – where he won only once in six attempts.
A winning chase debut at Punchestown in November was more like it and he can't be faulted for solid efforts in defeat behind the likes of Gerri Colombe and Mighty Potter in Grade 1 novices afterwards.
Back at Punchestown in April he delivered a smart effort to win a 2m5f Novice Handicap Chase by 15 lengths and his only run since was over hurdles in France.
For Paul Townend and Willie Mullins, seeking a second Galway Plate in three years, this well thought of gelding looks a massive player in the Ballybrit showpiece.
Battista the one in Sandown opener
Evening fare on the Flat comes from Sandown Park and the opening Apprentice Handicap over a mile looks something of a match on paper between last-time-out winners Monte Linas and BATTISTA .
The Simon & Ed Crisford-trained Monte Linas did it well at York last time and a 4lb penalty is not prohibitive, but he's unfortunate turning up here and having to concede 8lb to John and Thady Gosden's son of New Bay.
He easily opened his account on the all-weather at Wolverhampton a fortnight ago and this opening mark of 77 is likely underestimating his ability.