Promising chasing recruits bound for Galway's final meeting of year

John McIntyre

THE National Hunt season will crank up a gear this weekend when Galway stages an attractive two-day meeting with the emphasis on quality rather than quantity at Ballybrit.

Several promising hurdlers and chasers are due to head West for Galway’s final fixture of another successful year, with the Grade 3 Faber Audiovisuals Novice Chase on Saturday the highlight of the meeting.

Among the entries are Paul Nolan pair, Far Away So Close and Westmeath, while the burgeoning Gordon Elliott yard is likely to be represented by another potentially above average chasing recruit in Grey Soldier. John Kiely’s Sweeps Hill also helps give the race a classy appeal.

The action on Saturday kicks off with the Corrib Oil Sean Cleary Memorial Hurdle at 2.25pm, while the Barna Waste Novice Hurdle on the card features impressive course winner, Laganbank from the Willie Mullins stable, among the entries

Some seasoned campaigners could be bound for the SanServ Handicap Hurdle with the likes of Made in Taipin, Dermot Weld’s Universal Truth, Total Excitement and the versatile Eagles’s Pass entered for the two mile contest.

Sunday’s card (2.40pm) features the Dara Cassidy Memorial Handicap Chase with former Galway Plate winner Ballyholland heading the weights. Alpha Ridge and Cross Appeal are interesting contenders for the WB Gavin & Co. Beginners Chase, while the Liam Mulryan owned Martin Scruff catches the eye in the John Mulholland Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle.

Galway manager John Moloney reports that the ground on the hurdle course is currently yielding to soft, with conditions soft, soft to heavy in places on the chase track.

“We are promised a couple of dry days, but the forecast is unsettled for the weekend. The track has a good covering of grass and has coped well with the rainfall of the past few weeks.”

With over €200,000 up for grabs in prizemoney over the two days and guaranteed jackpots of €5,000, Moloney is optimistic that Galway’s last meeting of 2011 will end on a high note. “It’s been another good year considering the economic climate and it’s great to see some potential hurdle and chasing stars of the future entered for the weekend.