The Galway Festival is upon us again and the seven-day extravaganza kicks off with an evening fixture at 5.10.

Dermot Weld is the undisputed king of Galway and saddles Majestic Concorde in the highlight of day one, the G.P.T Galway (QR) Handicap.

This could serve as an ideal warm-up for Thursday's Galway Hurdle and one opponent who will be tuned to the minute for this race is Arc Bleu.

Tony Martin's Northumberland Plate hero is a dour stayer and renews rivalry with Newcastle runner-up Halla San, who travels over from Richard Fahey's stable.

Willie Mullins' promising hurdler Serpentaria and the hat-trick seeking Miss Fancy Pants also merit a thought in a wide-open heat.

The opening G.P.T Sligo Novice Hurdle is also hotly-contested, with Pillar Of Hercules attempting to atone for his two defeats.

He probably meets nothing as progressive as his last-start conqueror The God Of Love, although that one's stablemate Jewel Of The West, along with Audit and Negus, present obvious dangers.

Stage Manager was fancied at Killarney last time but favourite-backers knew their fate early when he unshipped Robbie Colgan at the second.

He goes for compensation in the G.P.T Dublin Handicap Hurdle, but Weld's Little Eye has been kept fit on the Flat and is just one of many with legitimate claims standing his way.

Weld won the G.P.T Access Equipment (C&G) EBF Maiden with Grey Swallow a few years back and relies on Broad Meaning this time around.

The Leopardstown runner-up will have his work cut out if he is to get to grips with Ballydoyle representative Drumbeat though, while money for John Oxx's Derby entrant Zarinksi would be interesting.

Last week's Naas winner First In Command tries to thwart Drunken Sailor's hat-trick attempt in the G.P.T Cork Handicap, while Perihelion will find the G.P.T Van & Truck Rentals Handicap easier than the Irish Oaks she contested most recently.

© www.irish-racing.com