Galway Festival: Kinger Rocks might be a warm favourite for next week's Guinness Galway Hurdle but her trainer, Dermot Weld, stressed yesterday that she is far from a certain starter in the fourth-day festival feature.
Since ante-post betting began on the summer's big hurdle prize, Kinger Rocks has been a general market leader and yesterday was as low as 5 to 1 with the Cork firm Cashmans.
However, as Weld gears up for another week at Ballybrit, which in the past has often proved to be a virtual benefit for the Curragh trainer, he has emphasised that his running plans for the Galway Hurdle are not certain.
"I don't see how she can be favourite when she is not certain to run," he said.
"Kinger Rocks is a possible for the hurdle but not a definite.
"I haven't made my mind up. At the moment it is more likely I will run her in the big amateur race on the Monday (the GPT) and then we will see how she gets on before deciding about later in the week."
Weld has three other entries for the big hurdle, including Mutakarrim, who is also in Wednesday's William Hill Galway Plate alongside his stable companion Ansar.
That track specialist is going for an unprecedented three-in-a-row in the Plate although Tipperary Boy at the start of the 20th century did win the race three times.
Ansar is another ante-post favourite at a general 6 to 1 but Weld described jockey plans for the horse as "fluid" and definite plans won't be drawn up until much closer to the weekend.
Yet again, though, the legendary former champion will be the trainer that most of the thousands of punters who descend on Galway for the week will be relying on for a reliable source of winners.
Weld has trained a total of 10 winners at the summer festival on four occasions in the past 12 years and last season he appropriately saddled his 3,000th winner in Ireland at Galway.
"I have less numbers in general this year and as a result I won't have as many runners at Galway as in other years.
"But the party going there will be strong, I hope, and the horses in general are in fine form," he said yesterday.
Weld also had news of his impressive Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Nightime who has been on a break since her only subsequent start at Royal Ascot when a disappointing last of the 15 runners in the Coronation Stakes.
"She is enjoying a summer break on my mother's stud. I saw her recently and she looks great. We couldn't be happier with her. She will be back soon but I have nothing specific in mind as regards a race," he said.
Simple Exchange will be the Rosewell House representative in Saturday evening's Meld Stakes at Leopardstown, a race that could also see the reappearance of last year's Derrinstown Derby Trial winner, Fracas, from David Wachman's yard.
Also engaged in the Group Three event over 10 furlongs is Mick Channon's Yasoodd, who won the Guineas Trial at the south Co Dublin track earlier in the year.
Saturday evening's feature is the Group Two Robert H Griffin Debutante Stakes, a race that has proved the stepping stone to Moyglare glory in recent years for Rumplestiltskin (2005) and Necklace (2003.)
Aidan O'Brien is unlikely to have a runner in it this time but David Wachman has four entries, including last week's impressive Silver Flash winner, Chanting.
GALWAY RACES
BETTING: (Paddy Power): Galway Hurdle: 11-2 Kinger Rocks, 10 Emmpat, Reisk Superman and Cuan Na Grai, 14 Telemachus and The Last Hurrah, 16 Bar. Plate: 6 Ansar, 8 Ursumman and Far From Trouble, 12 Banasn, Euro Leader and Mirpour, 14 bar.
