Going in to the Galway Hurdle of 2025, the last two winners of the valuable Grade 3 handicap on Ladies Day have been four-year-olds. In fact, Nurburgring led home fellow youngster Ndaawi 12 months ago and he’s out to improve on that on Thursday, 31 July.
Trainer Gordon Elliott is no stranger to success at the Galway Races, notably saddling four recent winners of the Plate during the week-long Festival. He hasn’t landed the most valuable hurdles contest at the meeting yet, however, but Ndaawi has improved since chasing home Nurburgring 12 months ago.
For evidence of that, look no further than when filling the same spot behind Kargese in the County Hurdle. Beaten just a length-and-a-half at the Cheltenham Festival, Ndaawi looks as though he has been laid out by Elliott for the Galway Hurdle of 2025 ever since.
Racing against the proverbial graded horse in a handicap, he has twice had a hike from the assessor for runner-up efforts. There’s no doubt that Ndaawi has a big pot like this in his locker and Cullentra House stable jockey Jack Kennedy again partners him in Ballybrit.
Elliott runs three others as he seeks an elusive first win in this. Of those, Bowensonfire is another improving five-year-old. This demands more of him than this handicap wins around Tramore and Bellewstown, however, especially with an 8lb hike for the latest effort.
Bective Stud run Casheldale Lad but, too mostly offset his 9lb rise for making all at the Punchestown Festival, a 7lb claimer now takes the ride. Relieved Of Duties completes the Cullentra House quintet for Robcour. He’s lower in the weights than his stable companions, but with good reason.
McManus Pair Among Mullins Sextet for Galway Hurdle 2025
In the same time as though four Galway Plate winners for Elliott, Willie Mullins has saddled five to victory in this. If second reserve Last Kingdom sneaks in at the last minute, the Closutton maestro could have as many as six runners. While half the field coming from two stables raises certain questions about Irish racing, there’s plenty to assess.
Framing the weights and next to top of the handicap are last season’s fourth Winter Fog and Gaucher. The former is an 11-year-old, who only came third in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham because of the falls suffered by State Man and Constitution Hill. There’s no improvement in Winter Fog, even off 2lb lower than 12 months ago.
Gaucher, meanwhile, is a tricky horse to catch right. He was a beaten favourite at the Festival last season, but has since won a couple of Grade 3 novice hurdles including when popping up at 20/1 around Naas. It’s difficult to know what to expect from this six-year-old. French import Batman Girac has been disappointing winning just once since joining the yard.
Of all the Mullins mounts, stable jockey Paul Townend rides the JP McManus mare Jalila Moriviere, a solid fourth at Punchestown last time. She conceded 6lb to stable companion Hey Sunshine and finished about as many lengths behind her fellow female.
Another eye-catching jockey booking for Closutton in the Galway Hurdle of 2025 is Harry Cobden aboard Tounsivator. He won the Grade 2 Royal Bond at Fairyhouse over the winter, but hasn’t gone in again since. In consequence, the handicapper has dropped this six-year-old to that last successful mark.
Joseph O’Brien Has Strong Hand for Another Big Race at Ballybrit
Last year’s winning trainer Joseph O’Brien is back for more, but not with Nurburgring who instead tries a historic double in the Plate. Another four-year-old heads the market with online horse racing bookmakers for this race in McManus-owned Puturhandstogether. He won the Fred Winter, a race in which Ndaawi caught the eye the season before.
As is the case with so many young hurdlers when they step into open company, Puturhandstogether looked as though he struggled last time out. Only sixth behind Jesse Evans, Enniskerry, Sunchart, Gaucher and Winter Fog in the Grimes Hurdle around Tipperary, he must recapture his best form quickly.
This is no easier for Puturhandstogether off 11lb higher than Cheltenham, but O’Brien also has Simon Munir & Isaac Souede’s dual-purpose performer Mr Percy in the Galway Hurdle of 2025. He has already punched his ticket to the Ebor on the Flat when landing the Irish “win and you’re in” race for the valuable York handicap.
Double on the day as Mr Percy makes a winning return to the flat at the Curragh in their valuable Race To The Ebor Handicap. Congratulations to trainer @JosephOBrien2 and jockey @Waynehassett11 🐎🥇 #Winner #DoubleGreen pic.twitter.com/WCoff7LBV5
— Simon Munir (@simon_munir) June 4, 2025
Such is Mr Percy’s talent that he also won a Grade 2 novice hurdle around Fairyhouse before that. Losing out by a neck on the level at this meeting last year, he could be a five-year-old going places for owners who landed this in 2023 and a yard successful 12 months ago. Prairie Dancer is one of the reserves, so O’Brien needs a late defection for him to get a run.
Galway Hurdle 2025 Shortlist & Verdict
In amongst plenty of older and/or exposed types, it makes sense to focus on younger legs. It might be a five or six-year-old who triumphs this time around, however, as NDAAWI and JALILA MORIVIERE look capable of serving it up to Fred Winter winner Puturhandstogether, whose profile isn’t quite the same as Nurburgring’s from last term.
Mr Percy could be the pick of the O’Brien pair guaranteed a spot. Also worth considering for the Closutton and Cullentra House powerhouses are Tounsivator and in-form Bowensonfire. Enniskerry ran a big race in the Grimes Hurdle for Barry Connell and, if Jesse Evans goes for the Plate, will represent the best from that run. Any 11-year-old is surely vulnerable, though.
