The favourite's jockey and trainer have never won the Compaq Galway Plate, his immensely powerful owner hasn't won it in 23 years and the horse is being asked to race half a mile further than he ever has before. Yet the queues are likely to be long to support Grimes in a possible first leg of a historic double.

Other negatives that can be thrown at Grimes, a 7 to 2 favourite with Paddy Power, is that he hasn't run over fences in over 17 months. Yet, despite all that, most of the connections of his rivals were conceding yesterday that Grimes could win this easily.

The reason is a close on two-stone differential between Grimes's hurdles and chase handicap rating. Sunshine at Ballybrit yesterday is also helping the ground towards the "good" that Conor O'Dwyer's mount thrives on, and such is the favourite's quality that the plan after today is that he carries topweight in tomorrow's big hurdle.

Ranged against JP McManus's star are the last two Plate winners, Dovaly and Moscow Express, last year's runner-up, Monty's Pass, who fills the role of potential handicap snip.

Francis Bay, with Paul Carberry on board, is also a genuine contender to give Dermot Weld a third Plate success. The jockey rode Stroll Home to win the race for Jimmy Mangan in 1997 and rode Monty's Pass at Killarney when the horse put in a performance that resulted in him getting a 16lb hike he won't have to carry today.

The concerns about Grimes appear to centre on him staying the trip. He has never been asked to race beyond two miles and a furlong in his life but trainer Christy Roche was upbeat last evening about his horse's stamina.

"The trip is not a worry. This horse probably needs two and a half miles over hurdles, the way he races. The ground isn't a worry either. In fact I wouldn't mind another shower or two but my main worry is him getting around. It's been a long time since he last ran over fences," he said.

What will help Grimes, however, is that this is the smallest field for the Plate since 1977, with only 14 runners. Dovaly will be trying hard to become just the third horse to win back-to-back Galway Plates, but the quality of Grimes , looks set to be decisive.

Grimes looks sure to start favourite, but those looking for some each-way options could do worse than look at Euphoric in the Compaq Handicap.