SO all eyes now go on to Galway, a guaranteed good news week for Irish racing and full on mainsteam media coverage throughout the week. Type Galway Plate or Galway Hurdle into Twitter and you will get about 20 different comments for who is the most likely winner of the big races.

Again we have the situation where, such is the talent down through the Irish handicap division, that the big two owners can control the weights. A classy horse at the top like Sub Lieutenant and Valseur Lido in the Plate, and Wicklow Brave in the Hurdle will allow others in on a nice weight.

Of course you are also aiding the opposition by compressing the weights and Patricks Park catches the eye on 10st 7lb in the Plate, as does Vieux Morvan on 10st 4lb.

The Hurdle has Willie in the role of the compressor, on top with Wicklow Brave. Max Dynamite could make his third bid for the Hurdle and his six-and-three-quarter-length fourth to Stradivarius at York does not look bad for a horse on 10st 3lb. Brelade and whatever Joseph O’Brien runs in the J.P colours are feared.

Gigginstown and JP have dominated in recent years but looking back through Galway Plate and Hurdle winners from the last decades, it was a race that anyone could win. North, South East, West, McBratney, Burke, Nolan and Kiely, Meade, Kelly, even Longford got a look in! Hopefully the spoils are shared next week.