Despite being given joint topweight for next month's William Hill Galway Plate, the Ballybrit legend Ansar has been made a 7 to 1 favourite with the big race sponsors to complete a remarkable three-in-a-row in Irish jump racing's summer highlight.
Ansar's Ballybrit career also includes a Galway Hurdle victory and he will be bidding for an eighth success in all at the track on the third day of the famous festival which kicks off in less than two weeks.
Yesterday, he was given joint topweight of 11-10 for the race alongside Euro Leader but that didn't stop his trainer Dermot Weld dreaming of a fifth Plate win of his own. "I was expecting topweight but Ansar is in good form and hopefully he can win at Galway for the eighth time," said Weld who has landed the race with Kiichi (1990) and General Idea (1993.)
Euro Leader could warm up for the big race by running at Tipperary on Saturday where he is one of 21 entries remaining for the tote.ie Plate Trial.
A total of 45 entries remain in the Plate with champion trainer Noel Meade represented by seven horses including last year's big hurdle hero, More Rainbows.
"My biggest ambition is to win the Plate. It continues to elude me but I've seven this time and hopefully this could be my year," said Meade yesterday.
Three horses trained in Britain remain possibilities for the race and they include Richard Fahey's Ball O Malt who ran disappointingly last year.
"I've trained this fellow with this race in mind for the last 12 months and 10-6 is a fighting weight.
"He didn't do himself justice last year but he is in great form now. Ansar, though, will still be tough to beat," said Fahey.
The Philip Hobbs-trained Fool On The Hill is another cross-channel possible and Hobbs reported: "He is set to run at Market Rasen on Saturday and if he goes well we will go for the Plate."
More Rainbows continues his career over fences at Killarney this evening where he has to concede weight in the novice chase. This will be a test of his jumping and Ruby Walsh's mount, Anseo, a Tralee winner, will be a tough opponent.
Shandon Star won impressively at Wexford on her first start in almost a year and looks capable of following up in the conditions race while the ex-Weld trained King Of Tory can score on his first start for Eddie Lynam in the claimer.
William Hill betting for the Galway Plate: 7 Ansar, 8 Far From Trouble, 10 Ursumman, 12 Euro Leader and Banasan, 14 Dix Villez and More Rainbows, 16 bar.
