Pierre Royal can shine for McGuinness in Galway feature

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, July 28, 2026

Adrian McGuinness will enter only one horse, Pierre Royal, in this year’s Colm Quinn BMW Mile Handicap at Galway after previously running larger teams and achieving multiple wins. Pierre Royal, recently successful in a Curragh handicap despite a rating rise, is considered a leading contender, putting McGuinness in strong position to seek a return to the winner’s circle.

Adrian McGuinness, who has maintained a strong presence in the Colm Quinn BMW Mile Handicap over the past decade, returns to Galway with a single contender in this year’s race. Since 2014, McGuinness has run 29 horses in the event, achieving three victories and five other places. His previous successes include Saltonstall’s back-to-back wins in 2019 and 2020, followed by Sirjack Thomas securing a third consecutive win for the trainer in 2021. More recently, Casanova finished second in 2022 and No More Porter repeated that position last year.

After fielding larger numbers in recent years—six runners in 2021, eight in 2022, and seven in 2023—McGuinness has trimmed his entry to just one for 2024. Pierre Royal, formerly trained by Dermot Weld, is the sole representative and appears to have strong prospects. The horse recently claimed a notable handicap victory at the Curragh and, despite being assigned a 9-pound rise to a rating of 91, remains viewed as a promising contender. Pierre Royal demonstrated a sharp burst of speed to pull clear when asked by jockey Adam Caffrey, suggesting there may be further improvement to come.

Other notable runners in the contest include Loughrea, Hardy Warrior, and Jagged Edge, but Galway appears to be the primary target for Pierre Royal this season, raising expectations for McGuinness to return to the winners’ circle.

Elsewhere on the card, in the opening Listed Novice Hurdle, Lizzie Twigg is favored over eight other runners for Gordon Elliott and jockey Jack Kennedy. The mare, unbeaten so far over hurdles after a successful bumper debut in March, is strongly fancied to extend her winning streak.

In the Latin Quarter Beginners Chase, there is value seen in Harry Kelly’s William Tell, currently offered at 30/1. Following a mishap at Wexford, where he unseated his rider early, William Tell was previously runner-up on his chase debut to Willie Mullins’ Soir De Garde. With jockey Peter Smithers claiming 7 pounds, the gelding presents a worthwhile each-way option.

Caragh Monaghan will ride Sea Of Doubt in the Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase later in the card. The mare, rated 93 and carrying 10st 9lb, is competitively weighted and available at 10/1 odds. Given her strong form over hurdles, she is considered a fair bet in this event.

In the fillies’ maiden race, Madam Secretary looks promising for the Aidan O’Brien stable with Wayne Lordan aboard, while Ryan Moore will be riding the filly at Goodwood. Though she has finished third in both starts, further improvement is expected.

David Loughnane’s It’sneverjustone warrants attention in the Caulfieldindustrial.com Handicap at 7/1 under Declan McDonagh. The horse, a festival winner last year, struggled to settle in a recent Salisbury handicap but remains a contender with a rating of 78.

Starborn Legend, trained by Joseph O’Brien, is also among the favorites at 6/4 in the Caulfield Industrial Irish EBF Maiden. The colt showed marked improvement in a recent Curragh maiden, narrowly beaten by Suspicious Mindz, and is expected to progress further.

The meeting concludes with an 18-runner Caulfield Industrial Handicap, though no clear favorite stands out, making it a challenging race to predict.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.