Alelchi Inois the form pick for Galway feature race

Strapping French-bred six-year-old capable of obliging to land Grade Three renewal

Jockey Paul Townend teams up with with trainer Willie Mullins to ride likely favourite Alelchi Inois at Galway this evening. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Jockey Paul Townend teams up with with trainer Willie Mullins to ride likely favourite Alelchi Inois at Galway this evening. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

Willie Mullins

could try and secure some of the

Champions Weekend success later this week but in the meantime Alelchi Inois can keep the National Hunt fires burning in this evening’s Grade Three feature at Galway.

Mullins has regularly proven his credentials on the level with high-profile victories for Simenon and Sesenta in recent years and has a couple of entries this weekend with Digeanta in the mix for the €150,000 Petingo Handicap at Leopardstown and Lucky Bridle entered for the €150,000 Northfields Handicap at the Curragh.

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Mullins won the Petingo in 2013 with Pique Sous who this year won at Royal Ascot.

Alelchi Inois is a different proposition, but the strapping French-bred has been flawless in three starts over fences this summer and will attempt to follow up his festival victory over course and distance in the Ballybrit Novice Chase. Howwoulduno has 13 lengths to make up on Paul Townend's mount but quick going looks perfect for the likely favourite.

Mullins and Townend have another festival winner back at Galway as Most Peculiar lines up for the novice hurdle in which he bids to confirm summer placings with the subsequent Bellewstown winner Draco. Troubled Soul was still going okay in that Bellewstown contest won by Draco when coming down at the second last and with Nina Carberry on her back she can make her first bumper start a winning one today.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column