Swan outlines Galway plans

Racing:  Charlie Swan hopes to have two runners in next week's William Hill Galway Plate at the festival meeting

Racing: Charlie Swan hopes to have two runners in next week's William Hill Galway Plate at the festival meeting. The former jockey has engaged Oodachee and On The Other Hand, with ground conditions likely to prove decisive as to their participation.

"I'm hoping both of them will get in but I'm waiting on the ground really," said Swan.  "With On The Other Hand, we'll just have to see if he gets in. He seems to be improving and Oodachee always runs a good old race, he deserves to win a big one really.

"He ran really well in the Irish National and was only beaten about six lengths. He has form on all sorts of ground but he wouldn't like it too heavy. He does go on a bit of cut in the ground but good would be his best ground really."

On The Other Hand is a general 12-1 chance, while Oodachee is as low as 16-1.

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Emmpat's participation in the Guinness Galway Hurdle will be determined by ground conditions following his below-par effort at Tipperary yesterday.

The Scottish Champion Hurdle winner was pulled up in the Kevin McManus Bookmaker Grimes Hurdle, won by Essex.

Swan has dismissed the performance due to the heavy ground and says any decision on whether he runs at Galway will be solely influenced by the going.

"I had him in the John Smith's Cup (at York) but the ground went against him there as well," said Swan.  "But he was ready to run on Sunday so I just said to David (Casey) as soon as you start to feel him tire, pull him up - which is what he did.

"It would have to be very good (ground) for him to run in the Galway Hurdle.  I haven't got any other major plans for him, he might go for a couple of Flat races, wherever the ground is really. He might even go for a beginners chase — with his turn of foot he could be useful over fences."

Swann could also run Cloone Rocket in the Galway Hurdle, despite the five-year-old having only had two runs over hurdles — the last of which saw him finish runner-up at Killarney last week.