RACING: It takes a dogged attitude to climb the hill to Galway Plate success, and Wotsitooya can stare the opposition down today in jump racing's summer feature.
If guts are a given in any Plate winner, it can also be assumed it takes class to overcome weight in this race.
Since 1990 only four winners have carried 11st or more and they include animals of the calibre of Life Of A Lord and Moscow Express. So cast an eye on the topweights today and see if they measure up to that class.
They include two of Noel Meade's trio as he searches for a first Plate victory. Hill Society ran a nice race on the flat last time but the popular fancy is likely to be Royal Jake.
He was impressive at Killarney and before Rathbawn Prince's defection he looked to be in a prime position under the 11st mark. The 6lb rise in the weights might be critical for him.
Ruby Walsh is a significant booking for the tricky Risk Accessor but the JP McManus camp are hardly giving off confident vibes.
The ante-post gamble, Torduff Boy, has been well touted but the value in him is gone.
There are two British runners trying to emulate Amlah in 1998 but with the ground conditions uncertain, due to a drying day yesterday, it may be worth narrowing bets down to Wotsitooya and Nuzum Road Makers.
The latter ran a blinding race under a big weight over hurdles on Monday, goes on any ground, races from the front and is clearly in good form.
However, one negative is that no 11-year-old has won for 20 years and, more importantly, there is a piece of form at Punchestown last April that gives Wotsitooya a clear edge.
That came in the Pat Taaffe Chase where the Michael O'Brien-trained former hunter-chaser was not extended to beat Lord Of The River and Nuzum Road Makers.
The smart claimer Danny Howard again takes 5lb off his back and two recent runs over hurdles should have put Wotsitooya spot on.
The bookies will be quaking during the last two flat handicaps with Barney Curley saddling a couple of starters. As if that isn't enough, Silvertown is a significant runner from Len Lungo's Scottish yard in the mile handicap.
The opening hurdle sees Direct Bearing reappear after a below-par effort in Monday's GPT. He was reported coughing after that but has scoped clean since.
If back to this best, the Weld runner should be too good for Darialann and Ballykettrial - who reappears for the first time in almost eight months.
The improvement is ground conditions will only help Shanesia, whose first start of the season was a winning one at Killarney.
Caishill didn't frank the form earlier in the week but Shanesia won despite pulling hard early on and gave the impression another furlong would do her no harm at all.
Musical Stage ran third to Ancestor at the Curragh last time and looks a good option in the amateur maiden.
