Preview: The bad weather may have been cursed by everyone else in Galway but the recent rain looks to have allowed tonight's McDonogh Handicap to open up for Dolmur.
The Tony Mullins-trained colt hasn't run in almost two months and has spent most of the summer to date in relatively relaxed form.
Dolmur, once described by his trainer as "the most laid-back horse I have ever had", will no doubt have taken to the holiday regime but in the soft Galway conditions no other horse in the race will be as comfortable. A success last time out at Naas on good ground was as quick as Dolmur likes his going.
What will be a problem will be a typically competitive field for the a130,000 pot despite the race losing its Stakes status.
The six-year-old Mr Houdini tops the weights while the headline-grabbing Desert Fantasy also represents the older brigade off a 26lb higher mark than on his big day at the Curragh.
However, the three-year-olds cannot be discounted - five of the last eight renewals of the McDonogh have fallen to the classic age group - and Dolmur brings significant form from the crop.
A disappointing 12th to Indian Haven can be discounted but the Mullins horse was only two lengths off Alamshar in the Beresford last year and still looks to be on the improve.
"He is in great form," Mullins said yesterday. "The weight won't be a problem as he is a bull of a horse, tough and mature. I'm slightly worried about the break he has had. We freshened him up not expecting it to be soft at Galway," he added.
However, that caveat appears to be balanced out by Dolmur's proven ability on a soft surface.
The same can't be said for quite a few of the rest of them. Dermot Weld has a fantastic record in the race but the regally bred Multazem will hardly be suited.
Cache Creek brings obvious claims to the party but an each-way option could be Private Ben whose recent form figures are hardly the best but who should appreciate the going.
As a winner of a couple of races on fast going during his career in Britain, Blue Away might not be an obvious horse to rely on in the two-mile handicap but there is a lot to suggest he should be fine.
Blue Away has a history of problems with his feet and theoretically soft ground should suit. Plus the Hughes horse brings an obvious form claim. Nothing was finishing faster behind Back On Top at the Curragh over a fortnight ago and Blue Away eventually only lost out by a head.
John Murtagh is a significant booking for the soft-ground loving Albrighton but that one's 64 mark may put him at a disadvantage against Blue Away.
The fillies maiden appears to continue the recent trend of O'Brien versus Weld and the latter could have the edge this time. Both trainers have produced Group One winners in this race, Dance Design (1995) and Sunspangled (1998), but Weld's Summer Sunset looks to have the winning of it.
The three-year-old maiden looks a much less significant contest but the Weld runner, Ridge's Journey, looks like he could still improve and the progeny of Indian Ridge usually likes a cut.
Good Fortune is a winner on the firm at Sligo but also has good bumper form on softer ground and may be the value answer to the first.
Kris Kin is set to be aimed at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October. Michael Stoute's Derby winner finished third in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot on Saturday and, although he is entered in York's Juddmonte International, the Paris showpiece looks likely to be his big aim.
