Nifty Magical forecast in Galway Oaks Final

TRAPRISE

Amidst a four-strong team representing trainer Pat Guilfoyle in the 2026 On Faya Galway Oaks AA0 525 Yard Stake, Magical Be Nifty (Droopys Jet-Magical Poppy) was arguably the least fancied of the Moneygall quartet.

However, on the back of game qualification from the opening round out west, the progressive youngster repelled exalted kennel companion Magical Mag for a classy final victory on Thursday.

Laying down a marker with semi-final victory on the previous weekend when posting 28.90 (-20) to contain fast first round winner Avenue Queen, Magical Be Nifty earned a suitable trap 3 draw for the €10,000 showdown.

Shades of odds-on in the betting market, 2025 Derby finalist Magical Mag (Ballymac Cashout-Mystical Luna) was a worthy favourite on the back of her fastest semi-final victory when imperious throughout a 28.68 (-20) score and in truth, was difficult to oppose from trap 5.

Nifty hadn’t read the script however, and producing her best start of the event, displayed classy early pace while drawing clear of rivals on the run to the opening bend. Magical Mag had begun on terms from trap 5 but found her kennelmate too hot contain throughout those initial exchanges and as the pair left bumping rivals in their wake while turning, Magical Be Nifty had near two lengths in hand upon straightening in the backstraight. Retaining that margin to the third turn within a high-class tussle between the Moneygall girls, Mag did briefly narrow the gap but never for catching within a professional final performance, Magical Be Nifty completed victory with two lengths to spare.

Magical Mag loses little in defeat here and expect to see both in the thick of major events for the remainder of the season.

That same Galway fixture returned a further local winner to cheer when in the earlier SIS Racing @ Galway A3 525, Paul Hogan’s Five Alley Rocky (Ballymac Cooper-Five Alley Star) secured the third win of his campaign in game style.

Having endured a brace of bumpy outings since last successful in A5 grade, the June 2024 whelp ensured no such racing woes this time when producing his best start from trap 2 and immediately contesting the lead, eased to a tight one length lead at the corner with the best early dash.

Still with just a length in hand to the backstraight, the Hogan youngster continued to contain all threats to the closing bends but affording racing room on his left shoulder while galloping away from the rails, found a strong staying rival advancing to within a length in the home stretch. Not for passing however, Five Alley Rocky repelled that challenge for a gutsy neck verdict in 29.63 (-20).

Without penalty on the grading ladder, a repeat of his good break here can see him highly likely to double up next time.

Timmy takes Kasko semi in Cork

The 2026 Kasko Derby A1 525 Yard Stake reaches final stage at Curraheen Park in Cork this weekend and admirably advancing to a warm showdown following a brace of troubled passages, Sally Mounsey’s Patterdale Timmy (Ballymac Cashout-Patterdale Lena) will hold strong claims on the back of his hugely game semi-final victory on Saturday.

It has been a light campaign this season for the hugely talented September 2023 whelp who has endured a much-interrupted racing campaign since Juvenile Derby heat victory last year.

However, turning attentions to Cork on the back of a luckless Tipperary Cup tilt at Thurles, the Mounsey charge gave notice that he was back to his sparkling best when filling runner-up position in the opening round at Cork.

Displaying all manner of elite pace before markedly checked at the closing bends behind a 28.59 winner then, Timmy started favourite for his semi-final on Saturday which turned out to be another eventful and bump affected contest.

Breaking in mid-division from trap 2 before chasing leader Air Hostess to the corner, the Mounsey stalwart would suffer bumping amidst a turbulent passage for all. Shuffled back to a dispute of fourth position, Patterdale Timmy again showed his strength along the backstraight and gamely finding a path through rivals, emerged with the lead off the final turn. Powering clear thereafter, he registered a five-length victory over Happy Me in 29.32, but that time can be readily dismissed given the bumpy nature of the heat.

With the opposing semi-final claimed by Cill Dubh Cothal in 28.27, final victory remains a challenge but that is the kind of time we expect from Patterdale Timmy when securing clear passage and with the inside line on that rival from trap 3, a smart break will make him very tough to contain.

Billy reaches Sprint Cup semis

A runner-up in both of his early round heats for the 2026 BAR 1 Betting Irish Sprint Cup, the Christopher Delaney trained Rallying Billy (Ballymac Cashout-Rallying Saidso) further extended his highly competitive presence in the Dundalk major on Saturday with another admirable passage on Saturday.

Having twice chased home Tiermana Dream in fast times for the 400-yard trip, the Dan Flynn owned May 2024 whelp faced a treacherous draw while widest of the inside seeds in trap 5 this time.

With just a moderate break and seeking to move inwards in the early strides, the Roscrea charge absorbed an early bump before gamely advancing to a dispute of second place approaching the first bend. Baulked while turning however, Rallying Billy performed with huge credit to maintain forward momentum and firmly galloping his way to runner-up position once again, ceded a near nine length victory to Bomber Nina in a fast 20.92.

Although still seeking a heat win in the event, Billy remains a big factor ahead of this week’s semi-finals for a kennel with extensive success at the elite level of sprinting.