Galway's three-day September meeting gets under way today, and with the unsettled weather making the all important ground proviso so important, discretion in the betting ring looks odds on to sweep valour aside.
The official forecast is for a "yielding" surface, but with the remnants of this tropical storm at large, that could change. A certain versatility is needed in these circumstances and maybe No Avail can provide it in the featured Hogan Motors Handicap.
The Paddy Mullins-trained mare lurks at the bottom of the ratings but has risen to a 60 mark after a winning streak of three races in 13 days at the end of June and early July. Crucially, the middle one of those came on soft ground at the Curragh when easily beating Alleged Aggressor and Celtic Lore over a mile and a half.
No Avail has had three runs since and was noted running an encouraging fourth to Robazala in a Tralee apprentice race, with Saturday's Cork winner, Cincuenta, a place behind her, last time out.
Of those above No Avail, Francis Bay may not like it too soft but if Tidjani is caught in the right mood he looks a probably danger, considering he is now racing from a 6lb lower mark than his last flat race in the Leopardstown November Handicap.
In the circumstances, it's difficult to be dogmatic about any runner today but John Oxx's Apparatchik could be worth a bet in the concluding fillies' maiden.
Third to St Clair Ridge in a Tipperary maiden, Apparatchik might just find a cut in the ground to her liking, being by the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner Selkirk, and is just preferred to Jim Bolger's Taisce, an encouraging fifth to Globe Theatre on her debut at the Curragh.
Racing opens with an uninspiring Beginners Chase and it may pay to follow Spot Thedifference, who won a Slanemore point-to--point which has produced a lot of winners. He disappointed in two subsequent races between the flags but Enda Bolger is sure to have worked on his jumping and Jason Titley should suit in the plate.
Fallow Trix is proven on a soft surface and looks up to following through on a Roscommon victory last time.
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