El Cairos backed to come good in Galway Hurdle

Gordon Elliott is hoping the unique demands of the Guinness Galway Hurdle might be the key to inspire serial underachiever El Cairos to fulfil his potential.

The six-year-old was expected to take high rank among the hurdling division after being snapped up by his current owners for £420,000 at the David Maxwell dispersal sale in October last year.

But having started the season with what Elliott felt was unlimited potential, his first four runs for Cullentra have yielded a Thurles maiden success and three well-backed disappointments.

Such a record has not stopped bookmakers again installing Jack Kennedy’s mount at the head of the betting, in a 20-strong field for what is the richest handicap hurdle run in Ireland all year.

“Ultimately you’d have to say he’s been a bit disappointing over hurdles, he hasn’t done what we thought he’d do, but I think a race like the Galway Hurdle could suit him,” said Elliott, who struck 12 months ago with another of his four entries, Ndaawi.

“There’s a lot of exposed horses in there looking at it and I’m hoping El Cairos might be still unexposed. He seems in good form, we’re very happy with him and he’s working well. I think he’s the type of horse that could suit a Galway Hurdle, coming back from graded races into a handicap.”

No one has their string in finer fettle at the moment than Joseph O’Brien, who has been operating at an impressive strike-rate of nearly one winner in three over the course of the last two weeks.

Fresh from his win in Galway’s first day highlight, the Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap, with Comfort Zone, O’Brien saddles chasing favourite Solness as well as JP McManus’ Puturhandstogether, ridden by Harry Cobden.

O’Brien, who won with Tigris River in 2017 and Nurburgring in 2024, said: “It’s interesting sending Solness back over hurdles, but the ground has been heavily watered so it will be as slow as he will probably like.

“It’s something we’ve had in the back of our minds (going back over hurdles for this race) more than anything else, so we will see how he gets on. But he’s been training well and we’re hoping for a good run.

“We’re also hoping for a good run from Puturhandstogether back over hurdles with him. He’s been training well and he’s threatening to win another one of these at some stage.”

Champion trainer Willie Mullins has a formidable record in the Grade Three handicap with six winners stretching back to Mystical City in 1996 and five in the last 10 years.

Murcia (Paul Townend) is the highest up in the betting from Closutton who also field Too Bossy For Us (Mark Walsh), Tounsivator (Danny Mullins), Beauvallon (Brian Hayes) and Kai Lung (Sean Cleary-Farrell).

Noel Meade’s Helvic Dream, who headed Ndaaawi only to lose it to the Elliott horse in the stewards’ room 12 months ago, returns on a 5lb higher mark.