Galway Hurdle Betting, Odds, Free Tips and Prediction (2023)

Not only is Thursday 3rd August ‘Ladies Day’ at Galway Races, but it will also host the prestigious Galway Hurdle at 17:05 GMT. In this detailed guide, I’ll provide some actionable Galway Hurdle winner tips while answering some of your most frequently asked questions about the race!

🏆 Galway Hurdle Prediction

The ante post Galway hurdle betting odds have Filey Bay as the favourite, but this seven-year-old gelding’s last win came at Wincanton in the Weatherbys Stallion Book Handicap Hurdle at the beginning of December 2022. Because of this, the classy and seasoned 10-year-old Sharjah looks to offer better value at a starting price of 13.00, especially given his six Grade 1 career wins and previous success in the Galway Hurdle.

Sharjah won the 2018 Hurdle by three lengths from Blazer, while more than showcasing his ability to thrive over the distance and right-handed Ballybrit course. The gelding has also placed fourth or higher in 13 consecutive races dating back to the summer of 2020, so my Galway Hurdle prediction is that Sharjah will prevail once again in 2023.

🏇 Galway Hurdle Betting Preview

Next in my Galway Hurdle preview and betting guide, I’m going to take a closer look at the ante post favourites and appraise their chances of winning.

1️⃣ Filey Bay

Filey Bay’s status as 2023 Galway Hurdle Festival has been questioned by some, with the Emmet Mullins-trained gelding having gone winless in his last three outings. He was particularly disappointing last time out in the Colm Markey Supporting Roscommon Racecourse Maiden at the beginning of July, placing eighth in a field of 14 after a dawdling start.

Overall, Filey Bay has won twice and placed in the top three six times in his 12 career races to date, while his third-place finish in the McCoy Contractors County Handicap Premier Hurdle at Cheltenham in March showed character after blundering four fences from home. Still, his ante post price of 8.00 may be a little too short given his recent form and overall pedigree.

Best Odds on Filey Bay

• 8.00 at Boylesports
• 8.00 at Betway
• TBC at Palm Slots Sports

2️⃣ Sharjah

Willie Mullins has the best record of any trainer at Galway in the last five years, with 46 wins and 116 places in 246 outings since 2018. This is just one of the reasons why the classy Sharjah is considered to be one of the best Galway hurdle 2023 runners, with the 10-year-old gelding having also won six Grade 1 races since his debut back in 2015.

He also earned the distinction of winning the same race back in 2018, when he finished strongly despite not being at his fluent best and ultimately prevailed by three lengths from Blazer. Sharjah fared well when finishing fourth at the Punchestown Champion Hurdle in April too, remaining in touch with the leaders throughout as he stayed the two-mile distance impressively.

Best Odds on Sharjah

• 9.00 at Boylesports
• 11.00 at Betway
• TBC at Palm Slots Sports

3️⃣ Tekao

Tekao is another runner from the Willie Mullins stable, although this four-year-old gelding is six years the junior of Sharjah. Still, he’s a runner with immense promise, with this showcased by his impressive third-place finish at the Grade B Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle at Punchestown in April.

Since debuting in Lyon in April 2022, Tekao has completed seven rules races and placed in the top three on five occasions. He also won at Leopardstown over two miles in December 2022, and while he placed second from last in the Grade 3 Kevin McManus Bookmaker Grimes Hurdle last time out, he offers marked value as a potential each way or free bet pick.

Best Odds on Tekao

• 8.00 at Boylesports
• 10.00 at Betway
• TBC at Palm Slots Sports

⭐ Galway Hurdle Betting Tips

Before you start wagering, it’s important to identify the key trends and Galway Races betting markets that offer the most value for money. So, here are some expert horse racing betting tips to keep in mind ahead of 2023 Galway Hurdle.

✅ Favour W P Mullins Runners

I’ve already touched on Willie Mullins’ impressive record at Galway, but the Irish trainer has been particularly successful in the Galway Hurdle. In fact, he has fielded 47 runners in the last 20 renewals of the race, registering four wins (including three of the last five iterations) and placing on a further 11 occasions. Interestingly, his son P W Mullins was also involved in these most recent triumphs, while he actually rode Sharjah to success back in 2018. So, pay particular attention to this potent partnership and any runners representing the Mullins stable.

✅ Look Beyond the Favourite

Not only is Filey Bay a questionable favourite ahead of the 2023 Galway Hurdle, but the starting favourite among the best betting sites has only prevailed four times in this race since 2003. This reflects the challenging nature of the race and the impact of handicapping, with weights added to each runner based on factors such as their age and their official rating (I’ll touch more on this below). So, it’s important to compare and analyse the entire field before engaging in Galway Hurdle 2023 betting, paying particular attention to Sharjah, his stablemate Bialystok and the youthful Tekao.

✅ Consider Weight and Ratings

Each horse has its own unique OR and handicap ahead of the 2023 Galway Hurdle, with these factors helping you to identify value in ante post odds and analyse the available betting markets with far greater clarity. For example, Sharjah has an OR of 152 but will subsequently carry the maximum possible weight of 11st 12lbs into the race, putting him at a competitive disadvantage when compared to Tekao (10st 4lbs) and even favourite Filey Bay (11st 2lbs). While this doesn’t change my Galway Hurdle winner prediction, it’s important to make an informed decision based in part on such factors before committing your hard-earned cash.

📊 Galway Hurdle Winners

Frequently Asked Questions About the Galway Hurdle Betting

✒️ Lewis Humphries Horse Racing and Sports Betting Expert

Lewis Humphries is an experienced sportswriter and tipster from the UK. He writes regularly about the horse racing and key events from across the UK and Ireland, including the Irish Grand National, the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Aintree Grand National. He’s also providing extensive coverage and predictions for the 2023 Easter Festival at Fairyhouse.