Galway Festival: day six

The Galway Festival continues this afternoon with 2 hurdle races, one chase three flat races and a bumper. The best race this time is the 2 3/4 mile handicap hurdle at 16.35 CET, which is wide open with 19 runners, many of whom have already run at the meeting. Truckers Delight (John Joseph Hanlon/ Paddy Flood) is actually running for the third time this week, having run fourth in a valuable flat race on Tuesday and then winning over hurdles yesterday. If none the worse for these exertions, he can score again. Fantoche (Jessica Harrington/ Tommy Treacy) also ran on the flat on Tuesday, but should be better suited by the return to hurdles. British raider No Panic (Peter Bowen/ Tom O´Brien) is in excellent form and was just touched off here on Thursday, but this opposition looks stronger. On the flat, there could be another Dermot Weld/ Aidan O´Brien head-to-head in the 2yo maiden over 8 1/2 furlongs at 18.05, with Weld saddling Dark Humour (Pat Smullen) and O´Brien Indian Ocean (Seamus Heffernan). Weld also has good prospects of taking the opening maiden hurdle with Noble Crusader (Ruby Walsh), a close third here on Tuesday.