1st-Aug-2024

From a long shortlist in the Galway Hurdle, I am backing Nurburgring.

Joseph O’Brien’s horse was among the top juvenile hurdlers last season.  Winner of the Grade 3 juveniles’ hurdle at the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle meeting at Fairyhouse in December, he finished a close-up third behind Kargese in the Grade 2 juveniles’ hurdle at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival, and he finished fourth in the Triumph Hurdle.

Then, in the Champion Four-Year-Olds’ Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival, he kept on well to finish third again behind Kargese, after making a bit of a mistake at the second last flight.

As such, his profile is not wholly dissimilar to the profile that Zarak The Brave had going into last year’s Galway Hurdle, and he became the first four-year-old winner of the race since Perugino Diamond in 2000.  And Zarak The Brave raced off a handicap rating of 145.  Nurburgring can race off a mark of 139 today.

He warmed up for this nicely with a good run on the flat at Leopardstown two weeks ago, when he made good ground on the far side in the home straight, before he weakened.  That run should have brought him forward for today’s race, which has surely been his target since Punchestown.  And Joseph O’Brien’s horses are in good form, he has had three winners at Galway so far, the only trainer who has had more than two winners for the week.

My Mate Mozzie and Mighty Tom and Daddy Long Legs and Kings Hill and Williamstowndancer were all on my shortlist, but I am happy to rely on Nurburgring.

NURBURGRING WON (ADV 10/1, SP 13/2)