Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle preview

Plain Talking bids for her second success at this week's Galway Festival in the Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle on Saturday.

With a total prize fund of 80,000 euro up for grabs, the extended two-and-three-quarter-mile contest is the feature event on the penultimate afternoon of the meeting and a strong field of 19 runners is set to go to post.

Plain Talking is the final horse on the list, with the penalty she incurred for narrowly winning a handicap hurdle on Wednesday enough to earn her a starting berth.

Trainer Gavin Cromwell also saddles Elusive Ivy who was brought down in a different race on the same card, but is a previous winner at the track.

"Plain Talking came out of her race well and is in good form, so hopefully she'll run well," said Cromwell.

"Elusive Ivy would have a chance, as well. She got brought down the other day but she seems 100 per cent.

"She's never run over two miles and six (furlongs) before, so I don't know if she'll stay, but we'll give it a go."

The only British challenger in the field is Brian Ellison's top-weight Totalize Danny Mullins has been booked to ride the seven-year-old, who arrives off the back of victory at Market Rasen a fortnight ago.

Ellison has already been among the winners this week and several horses have performed admirably in defeat.

The Norton-based handler said: "Everything has run well this week and they've all picked up good prize-money.

"If we'd been a bit luckier with the draw we might have done even better, but we can't do a lot about that and we're looking forward to the weekend.

"Totalize definitely has a chance. He has to give weight away, but he's been in great form since Market Rasen."

The Des McDonogh-trained Little Haarth turns out 11 days after victory at Ballinrobe.

McDonogh said: "He ran a good race in Ballinrobe and went up 7lb, which has helped him get into this. He's in against better horses, naturally enough, but he's in good form and hopefully he'll run a good race.

"He's very consistent and ran against some good horses in his maiden hurdles. The less the rain they get, the better."

Leading owner JP McManus, often mob-handed in competitive handicaps, relies solely upon Some Hawk

Tom Mullins' charge finished third to Plain Talking on his latest appearance at Roscommon on June 14 and the trainer is anticipating a bold show.

Mullins said: "He has a nice weight and ran a good race in Roscommon the last day.

"He's in good form. He's meeting a few horses on better terms than he has in the past and I'd be very hopeful. I'd say he wouldn't mind the ground, whatever way it goes."