Galway hero Overturn can keep up good work

IRELAND HAS a notable recent record in York’s prestigious Totesport Ebor but the link to the 2010 winner might have to be more tenuous if an in-form Overturn shows up on the Knavesmire this afternoon. The Galway Festival isn’t the most obvious stepping stone to York but Ballybrit was just the latest stop for Overturn whose progress over the last six months has been remarkable.

After a succession of Ayr victories that culminated in a Scottish Champion Hurdle in April, Donald McCain’s rising star picked up the Northumberland Plate on the flat before dominating from start to finish in characteristic style in the Galway Hurdle.

McCain indicated he might get a break after that but instead Overturn will attempt a unique cross-code hat-trick against 19 opponents, including three from Ireland.

Tony Martin’s Salute Him is joined by Dirar who ran third to Overturn at Galway and now is a stone worse off weights wise. The Royal Ascot runner-up Elyaadi, owned by the Waterford businessman Michael Ryan, completes the Irish trio as they try to emulate last year’s winner 25 to 1 winner Sesenta. Aidan O’Brien’s Mediterranean won in 2001.

Overturn doesn’t have a great draw in 18 but that shouldn’t be a huge factor at this trip and McCain was making encouraging noises yesterday. “I’m a little bit conscious we’ve kept him quite busy but he seems to be thriving on his racing. He’s in tremendous nick and there seems to be a bit left in the locker,” the Cheshire trainer said.

“I’d be thrilled if he continued to improve over hurdles. I see he is 159 now and that means he is championship class. When he is out there and rolling along he is a hard horse to pass. A lot of talented horses don’t have his heart and that counts for a lot,” McCain added.

Sergeant Cecil completed the Plate-Ebor double five years ago but if Overturn is to go even better than that he will have overcome a number of progressive types such as Martyr and Bernie The Bolt, who was impressive at Ascot last time. But there doesn’t appear to be any end to Overturn’s gallop just yet.

Johnny Murtagh, who teamed up with Jeremy Noseda to win the Geoffrey Freer at Newbury on Saturday, was to partner that trainer’s Formosina in the ITM Gimcrack Stakes.

However, his likely absence leaves the way open for the unbeaten Temple Meads, an impressive winner of the Super Sprint at Newbury.