Ansar is on course to try to boost an already remarkable success rate at the Galway festival which runs from Monday, July 30th to Sunday, August 5th, and will have a record €1.9 million in prize money.
The biggest slice of the prize fund is for the €220,000 William Hill Plate on day three and Galway fixture Ansar will have joint topweight as he attempts to regain the Plate title.
Dermot Weld's star was denied a hat-trick of victories when Far From Trouble won last year but the seven-time Ballybrit winner will be back for another crack at jump racing's summer highlight.
"He'll have an outing on the flat on Thursday but he is a remarkable horse around Galway and even though he is 11 he still retains his competitiveness. He is very well and I think he will run a big race," Weld said yesterday.
Ansar will have to be as good as ever though, as he has been given joint-topweight of 11.10 along with Peter Bowen's Yes Sir, one of seven entries from Britain. The potential visiting team could also include Hoo La Baloo from the yard of Paul Nicholls.
The big-race sponsors, however, have made Cool Running the 9 to 1 favourite to repeat Far From Trouble's victory for owner JP McManus and trainer Christy Roche. Cool Running is one of seven McManus-owned entries and it is just 11 to 4 about the champion owner winning again.
This year's festival will be the first with the new 7,000-capacity Killanin Stand while the Galway authorities have played down concerns about the well-publicised water supply problems in the area.
A new filtration and UV light system has been tested by health and safety officials and the water was found to be clear of cryptosporidium, the diarrheal-causing parasite.
The in-form Tommy Stack team could attempt to secure some more black type at Tipperary on Thursday as The Loan Express is one of 12 entries remaining in the Listed Danehill Dancer Tipperary Stakes over five furlongs.
The Queen Mary Stakes third has a big act to follow after Myboycharlie bounded into next year's classic picture at the Curragh on Sunday but Stack's son "Fozzie" yesterday revealed big plans for The Loan Express too.
"She could run at Tipperary and if she does, we could look at a race like the Lowther at York afterwards. If she doesn't, she would run in the Princess Margaret at Ascot," he said.
Stack also gave the Anglesey winner Myboycharlie a clean bill of health after his seven-length weekend rout and said the Group One Phoenix Stakes could be an option for the colt.
Myboycharlie would have to be supplemented into the Curragh highlight, however, and the Gimcrack at York remains an alternative target.
Killarney's July festival continue this evening where the champion jockey Ruby Walsh will face an old friend in Conna Castle when he teams up with the hat-trick-seeking Smile Later in the novice chase.
Considering the ambitions held for him last year, Conna Castle has been disappointing and the horse in form could be the better bet.
Walsh can also take the opener on the Tony Martin trained Green Mile while Copper Bell looks set to take care of Keep It Cool in the 11 furlong conditions race.
BETTING:(William Hill): 9 Cool Running, 10 Ansar, Emotional Article and Pacolet, 11 Sir Fredrick and Ursumman, 12 Manilow, 14 On The Other Hand, On The Net, Reisk Superman and Yes Sir, Adamant Approach, 20 Bar.
