Teed Up (Ray Barron) winning last year© Photo Healy Racing
The seven-day Galway Festival gets underway this evening with the Connacht Hotel Qualified Riders Handicap the €110,000 feature on a seven-race card beginning at 4.50pm.
The Mullins family hold a strong hand at the head of the market for the two-mile highlight on day one with Emmet saddling Teed Up and his uncle Willie sending out the fancied Lot Of Joy.
Teed Up, who won this race 12 months ago, carries the colours of Annette Mee and she is also represented by course winner Enfranchise Pinot Gris twice a winner on the Flat last year and also successful on the Flat at Bellewstown this spring, comes here off the back of a good effort in the valuable Dubai Duty Free Irish EBF Ragusa Handicap at the Curragh on Irish Derby day
“He’s in off bottom weight and Decey Lavery rides him. Eleven stone will be tight for him but he’s happy enough to do it,” trainer Gavin Cromwell told broadcaster Dave Keena.
“He’d a lovely run the last day in the Curragh and hopefully he has a live chance.
“I’d say it will be beautiful ground for him. Anything bar fast ground should be fine for him.”
The going is currently Yielding on the Flat track and Good, Good to Yielding in places, for National Hunt racing.
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