For many it may be a year late but Rathbawn Prince can prove tonight that he and the featured £40,000 opening day festival feature, the GPT Handicap, are made for each other.
Those who waded into the Dessie Hughes-trained horse for this race last year and made him a 9 to 2 favourite could be forgiven for believing once burned, twice shy but that may well turn out to be an expensive belief.
Forgiven, because Rathbawn Prince seemed to only figure at the business end of the race when it was too late. The then seven-year-old ended up a nearest-at-finish third to Just Wondering, beaten just three lengths. The horse does appear to like to racing through horses, a tricky manoeuvre here, but now can be his revenge.
For one thing, Rathbawn Prince thrives on a fast surface, which forecasts indicate he will get. For another, he is actually dropped 1lb in the ratings to 76 from last year, while the highly touted Spokesman, fourth last year, is 4lb higher. And Rathbawn Prince has proven his ability to act on the unique Ballybrit track.
He also comes here in decent form on the back of a good run over hurdles at Bellewstown and a nearest-at-finish run behind Courageous at the Curragh.
Courageous also figures in the formlines of Pollardsfield, a Roscommon maiden winner over a mile and a half. Pat Flynn's runner looks to have an excellent chance but may not be quite as suited by this two miles as Rathbawn Prince.
Last year's winning rider, Philip Fenton, is on the Wexford and Sligo winner, Dionisio, whose chance must be respected; and the Killarney winner, Perugino Diamond looks to be coming back to form. Throw in Jim Bolger's Leopardstown winner, Mise Eire, and the likes of Dark Trojan and this is a typically competitive GPT. One that Rathbawn Prince can win this time, however.
A number of bywords usually come into play at the festival and one of those is value, which Mission Valley Boy looks to represent in the maiden hurdle.
Gerry Keane's runner hasn't had a race since the end of May but that was an eyecatching fourth to the 1 to 6 Fnan at Fairyhouse and the balance of his other form has given Mission Valley Boy an 88 rating.
Another byword for success at Galway is Dermot Weld, and the record-chasing trainer has a couple of interesting handicap runners this evening.
It's rare to see a Sadler's Wells colt with a 50 rating but Initial Figure has that in the mile handicap and he showed enough behind Glyndebourne at the Curragh in May to make him interesting; and Murrayfield, from the family of the top stayer Exceller, has been running over shorter distances and could upset the handicap "good thing" Chimes Of Midnight in the 12-furlong handicap.
