Ted in Galway frame

Tony Martin is eyeing a crack at the Guinness Galway Hurdle with Ted Veale following his success at Bellewstown last night.

Winner of the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, Ted Veale had found the switch to Grade One company too tough at Punchestown on his final start of the jumps campaign.

Switched to the Flat after a summer break though, he bounced back to winning form in the 12-furlong Eva-Tec (QR) Race at Bellestown, accounting for stablemate Blackmail by four lengths.

Martin is now planning a switch back to obstacles for Ted Veale, with the August 1 feature at Galway a possibility.

He said: “I couldn’t be happier. I was hoping they’d both run well which they did.

“Hopefully they’ll come on a bit from it. They’ve had their summer break.

“There wasn’t a blow out of them there. They’re straighter than I thought.

“He (Ted Veale) has heaps of options. We were thinking about going novice chasing as he’s schooled over fences.

“Hopefully he stays together. If we have him this time next year we’ll be laughing.

“He’ll get an entry for the Galway Hurdle.”

Martin is also planning a hurdles campaign with Blackmail.

“Touch wood, fingers crossed he’ll (Blackmail) go novice hurdling now,” he said.

“He was very impressive when he won his point-to-point and he jumped brilliantly that day. He had also run in a few schooling hurdles before that.”