Cairdiuil (purple & blue)© Photo Healy Racing
Local trainer Iggy Madden sends course specialist Cairdiuil into battle on the last day of the Galway Festival.
The eight-year-old is aiming to double up on his victory on Wednesday, when Wayne Lordan booted him home by a length and a quarter in a race over the extended mile. This time he tackles the seven-furlong Galway Shopping Centre Handicap.
He boasts an impressive record of two wins and three places from seven starts in Ballybrit and in addition, he was runner-up in this race last year and has a useful low draw in three.
Madden said: "The owners would like to run him on Sunday. We wouldn't want any more rain. He has won on soft ground, but it is likely to be dead ground and he's a funny horse. It depends how he is on the day.
"If you look through his form his cut-off point is a mark of 65, which he won off the other day, so the 5lb raise is a concern as he is a small horse. I haven't claimed off him as Wayne Lordan has won on him before and why change it if it isn't broken?"
Expensive Taste is another horse looking to score at this year's festival for the second time. Andrew Oliver's three-year-old won a seven-furlong handicap on Monday before finishing ninth in a mile handicap on Friday.
Elsewhere, four recent winners - Bashful Beauty, Pacelli Road Beckwith Star and Dashing Lady - clash in the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Hurdle. Dermot Weld's Leopardstown winner Pacelli Road, with Johnny Burke sporting the JP McManus colours, is sure to be popular.
As Paul Carberry is sidelined through injury, Denis O'Regan comes in for the mount on Tulsa Jack in the three-mile Vision Express Handicap Hurdle.
Noel Meade's charge comfortably won his maiden hurdle in Limerick, but faces plenty of battle-hardened handicappers in this contest. Down Time and Stolberg are two with chances in an open-looking race.
Tony Martin has plenty of runners on the card who will feature prominently in the betting and among them is Ted Veale who goes for the At The Races Beginners Chase with Barry Geraghty in the plate. Any further rain won't bother John Breslin's gelding. Pires represents the trainer in the Lord Hemphill Memorial Handicap Chase.
Gordon Elliott is double-handed in the Trappers Inn Handicap over a mile and a half. Ana O'Brien claims 7lb off Time To Work who is coming off a break of 275 days but beat Galway Hurdle hero Thomas Edison when last seen at Down Royal.
Joseph O'Brien gets the leg-up on Landau who finished well for second in Leopardstown.
The festival concludes with the Fr. Breen Memorial (Pro-Am) Flat Race. Willie Mullins has Totally Dominant on a hat-trick, while Dermot Weld's Leopardstown bumper winner Windsor Park will be backed to provide the 'getting out' money for many.
