Galway starts today

The Galway Festival starts today and goes on all week. This western Ireland fixture is unique in its mix of flat races and N.H. events, high and low company, with a tremendous craic and for many people it is the highlight of the whole year. One of those people is Dermot Weld; the Curragh trainer always sends a huge team to the Ballybrit racecourse and has been leading trainer at the meeting for longer than anyone can remember.

This of course no secret and his runners often start at a shorter price than they logícally should, but the safest way to win at the meeting is simply to back all his runners blind. You may not make a level stakes profit, but you will certainly have plenty of winners. Prize-money at Galoways is good, so plenty of other top trainers will be there - e.g. Aidan O´Brien in the flat races, Willie Mullins over jumps, - but this week at least Dermot Weld will overtrump them all. Our selections therefore are all trained by Dermot Weld: Diplomat (Ruby Walsh) over hurdles at 18.10 CET - likely to be a very skinny price - Mustakeer (Pat Smullen) in the 2yo maiden at 19.10, Notable Graduate (Jane Mangan) in the amateur riders race at 19.45, Peace Accord (Smullen) at 20.15, Pay Day Kitten (Connor King) at 20.45 and Marty´s Mark (Robbie McNamara) in the concluding bumper at 21.15.

The four U.K. meetings today are all at a very low level. The "best" race is the mile handicap at 17.30 at Ayr, where the going will be very soft after lots of rain over the weekend. Le Chat d´Or (Michael Dods/ Paul Mulrennan) goes well on this ground and is our selection.

Galway - betting forecast:
1. Race: Diplomat - King Of The Picts - Green Dragon
2. Race: Raydari - Hurricane Ridge - Aladdins Cave
3. Race: Mustajeeb - Friendship - Sniper
4. Race: Redera - Domination - Call Me Bubbles
5. Race: Target Acquired - Peace Accord - Doc Holliday
6. Race: Pay Day Kitten - Great Explorer - Dark Crusader
7. Race: Wicklow Brave - Marty`s Magic - Egyptian Warrior