FORTHRIGHT AND Séamus Heffernan could be the value bet to repeat last year's thrilling triumph in the feature on day five of the Galway Festival.
Eighteen runners are set to line up in the €70,000 Guinness Handicap and, as always around Ballybrit, proven course form is a definite plus. It doesn't come more proven than that of Forthright, who edged out High Reef in a titanic finish last year and comes back on an official mark that's just 3lb higher.
Trainer Mark Loughnane has resisted the temptation to claim off the seven-year-old, and there will be some confidence on the back of an encouraging warm-up at Leopardstown behind Whispering Wind.
Another plus is Forthright's versatility in terms of ground, having won on both fast and heavy going, while a stamina test might not be ideal for Tango Foxtrot, who was an unlucky fourth in this race 12 months ago.
Tango Foxtrot has a 7lb penalty for winning over 10 furlongs at the Curragh recently, after which Willie Mullins proposed a drop in trip. Instead, he is back here at a mile and a half with some unfinished business to complete.
Michael Halford's Bold Bibi tops the weights, while Chris Hayes could cajole Heavenly Blues into a good run.
But Forthright looks a reasonable bet to emulate the last back-to-back winner, Theatreworld (1998-99).
Dermot Weld and Aidan O'Brien will go head to head in the mile-and-a-half maiden, and while figures give the nod to Ballydoyle's Mikhail Fokine, it's worth betting that Matters At Hand continues Weld's vintage festival.
Matters At Hand has half a stone to officially find on his rival, but Mikhail Fokine's sole start this season resulted in him finishing last of seven to his stable companion Septimus in the Curragh Cup.
In contrast, the Weld runner has had three starts this year and looked unlucky at the Curragh in May when squeezed out by the eventual winner, Tiffany Diamond, in the straight. Weld's peerless Galway record encourages hopes that Matters At Hand can make a liar out of the ratings.
Michael Kinane travels west for the ride on the 106-rated Alarazi in the 14-furlong conditions race.
The quandary here is that this is a full half mile farther than the Mooresbridge runner-up has gone.
If Alarazi stays he has the quality to win this easily on figures, but a more reliable option could be the sure stayer Merveilles.
Kinane rides one of the two British-trained raiders, Zulu Princess, in the mile handicap, but the combination of Weld and Pat Smullen may be a better one with Spanish Cross.
