Gordon Elliott can enhance Galway Plate record with stable newcomer Nowwhatdoyouthink
Nowwhatdoyouthink ahasn't looked back since winning the William Hill Each Way Extra Challenge Series Irish EBF Beginners Steeplechase at Cork in November. Pic: Healy Racing Photo.
Nowwhatdoyouthink can enhance Gordon Elliott’s excellent Tote Galway Plate record by making a winning stable debut in the day three feature.
First successful with Lord Scoundrel in 2016, Elliott has since bagged the prize on four further occasions courtesy of Clarcam in 2018, Borice a year later, Ash Tree Meadow in 2023 and Western Fold last year.
His main contender this time around looks to be Nowwhatdoyouthink, a seven-year-old who has made the move to Cullentra House having shown steady improvement while under the care of Ray Hackett.
Nowwhatdoyouthink needed five goes to get off the mark over fences but he hasn’t looked back since scoring at Cork on his final start last year.
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He began 2026 by outrunning odds of 22-1 when second to C’est Ta Chance in a Thurles Grade Three in March, finishing in front of subsequent runaway Irish National hero Soldier In Milan as well as Fleur In The Park, who went on to win the Grade One WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse, in the process.
On the back of that fine run, Nowwhatdoyouthink was sent off the 4-5 favourite to account for his two rivals in a Cork Grade Three at Easter and did so with a minimum of fuss, scoring by six and a half lengths.
Emboldened by that emphatic win, connections opted to end the season by having a crack at Grade One at the Punchestown festival where Nowwhatdoyouthink produced a career-best effort to finish third to Western Fold, last year’s Galway Plate winner.
Nowwhatdoyouthink will need to improve again to win this ultra-competitive handicap but he looks well capable of doing so. He can give Jack Kennedy a first Galway Plate success.
Of the opposition, Funiculi Funicula is feared most. Like Nowwhatdoyouthink, the Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old got off the mark over fences at Cork before following up at the Punchestown festival in a race that has previously proven a good pointer for the Galway Plate. If he stay, he will surely run a big race in the hands of Paul Townend.
Reverend Hubert is an intriguing contender for Charles Byrnes. Successful on the Flat at the Curragh last month, the eight-year-old has since won over hurdles at Cork so clearly comes here in good form.
However, he hasn’t tackled fences since disappointing when fancied in a Grade Three two years ago so this looks a stiff task.
Last year’s runner-up Jesse Evans looked as good as ever when bolting up at Listowel at the start of June and looks sure to again put up a bold show for Noel Meade. However, the fact Bob Lingo is the sole double-digit aged winner this century is an obvious negative for this admirable 10-year-old. Minor honours may beckon again.
Elsewhere on the card, the Dermot Weld-trained Abbotsford could prove a tough nut to crack in the Visit Tote26 On Course Today Maiden.
Down the field on debut at Dundalk last December, the son of Frankel stepped up markedly on that effort when beaten a head by Atomic City at Cork in May.
Gelded since, Abbotsford is expected to relish this step up in trip. If that proves the case, he ought to take beating.
Gaoth Chuil can send punters home happy by landing the finale, the Bet With Tote.ie On Racing & Sports Handicap.
The in-form Ted Walsh-trained eight-year-old mare is chasing a hat-trick after wins at Leopardstown and, more recently, Killarney and it’ll take a big performance to deny her.
GALWAY Darren Norris 5.05 Shoda 5.35 Coded Welder 6.05 She's A Fine Wine 6.40 Nowwhatdoyouthink (Nap) 7.15 Abbotsford (NB) 7.50 Moonlit Sun 8.20 Gaoth Chuil Next best 5.05 Jeroboam Machin 5.35 Hees Dynamite 6.05 Venusienne 6.40 Funiculi Funicula 7.15 New Bay Star 7.50 Monvoe 8.20 Rakki
