In Brief
- Galway Girl makes it three wins in succession.
- Trainer eyes Devonport Cup with classy five-year-old mare.
- Short spell for Galway Girl.
Galway Girl has the potential to be one of trainer-breeder Graeme McCulloch’s best investments in a long time.
McCulloch purchased Galway Girl as a potential broodmare earlier this year with the intent of sending her to an interstate-based stallion this season but after giving her a chance to prove herself on the racetrack prior to retiring to stud she has excelled.
Last Sunday in Devonport Galway Girl made it a hat-trick of wins despite stepping up significantly in grade and distance.
She won two in succession over 1350m in low graded events in Devonport but at this most recent outing she delivered enough to suggest she could even head to a Devonport Cup.
“This mare’s overall times and sectionals have been great, and she is only going to get better as the season progresses,” McCulloch said.
“My first thought was to send her to a stallion this year but that is now on hold until next season.
“I was fairly confident she would run well over a mile because she’d already won at that distance interstate and that she loves the synthetic I am seriously thinking about heading her towards the Devonport Cup.”
Galway Girl was ridden by apprentice Brandon Louis who had the five-year-old travelling three-wide without cover to the home turn before releasing the reins.
She sped clear and for a moment connections thought the inexperienced rider may have pushed the go button too soon.
“I was a bit nervous when Brandon let her go early but she was up to the task.
Galway Girl ($3.20EF) went on to defeat the in-form Sh’bourne Rebel ($6.50) by almost two lengths with Dothraki Princess ($3.20EF) in third.
The mare covered the 1650m in 1m.41.31s and ran home her last 600 metres in 35.93.
Galway Girl (I am Invincible-Whistling Dixie) is the daughter of a Group-winning Pins mare that won the Eulogy Stakes over 1600 metres at Ellerslie in New Zealand where she was bred.
“This mare is exceptionally bred and that’s why I bought her, but she still wants to be a racehorse so we might as well capitalise on it.
“She is a five-year-old that has had only 14 starts and when you look at her record of four wins and six minor placings, she is clearly talented.”
McCulloch said he would give the mare a couple of weeks in the paddock and bring her back for a crack at the Devonport Cup in early January.
Watch Galway Girl score an emphatic win in a benchmark 74 handicap last Sunday.