The Galway Races – three words that immediately bring a smile to everyone’s face.

The craic and sport enjoyed at Ballybrit is unique to the west of Ireland venue, which goes some way to explaining why hundreds make the long journey from America every year.

A total of 145,000 people attended last year and this year the 52 races offer a record total of €1.6 million in prize money.

It’s an expensive trip for many and everyone has a few bets in an effort to recoup the outlay for transport and accommodation.

Traditionally, punters have turned to trainer Dermot Weld, the King of Ballybrit, in the search for winners.

Going into last year's festival, Weld had been leading trainer at Galway every year since 1997. But in 2016 his luck ran out and he was outscored by Willie Mullins, whose nine winners saw him better Weld’s total by some 50%.

The omens are not at all good for Weld this time around either. His horses have struggled to find their form this season. At time of writing he had only saddled 20 winners since January 1st and was operating to a winners-to-runners strike-rate of 11%.

He will be hoping that a return to his traditional stomping ground sees a huge change in his fortunes and, given that three of his 20 wins this year have come courtesy of Tandem, there is a lot of pressure on the son of Dansili to land another BMW Mile for Weld on Tuesday.

MULLINS FLYING

Willie Mullins, on the other hand, has his flat string operating at a 22% strike rate and his jumpers are forging ahead at a scarcely believable 34% winners-to-runners ratio.

As he is the trainer most likely to supply the most winners again next week, the RaceBets offer for new customers of

50/1 on Willie Mullins to be top trainer at Galway must be taken.

Lots of other trainers are entering the week in good shape too.

Joseph O’Brien has trained 11 winners over the past 14 days, for example, whilst Ger Lyons and Jessie Harrington have trained eight and five respectively over the same period.

Joe Murphy is in tremendous form, having trained two winners and three seconds from his last six runners. Given he regularly supplies a winner or two at the festival (Ask Jack won the Topaz Mile in 2010, Swamp Fox won last year’s Monday night feature) horses from his yard should be greatly respected.

One of his notable entries, Silverkode, has been declared for the 3.30 at the Curragh on Saturday and a win there should see him get into next Sunday's feature, the 'Ahonoora', where he would have a great chance provided he is drawn low.

DRAW BIAS

That brings us to an even more important point than trainer form, namely the draw.

In flat races, particularly handicaps where they go faster, a low draw is almost essential in races up to one mile.

Maidens, by their nature, are generally less competitive and therefore horses drawn on the outside can more easily manoeuvre into a more favourable position. But in handicaps a high draw is very difficult to overcome.

Despite there being a substantial hill at the finish, speed is as important, if not more important, than stamina at Galway, as horses are constantly on the turn until they reach the straight. Those with a good turn of foot will be able to assume a good position whilst the stayers often find them difficult to overhaul.

The Galway Plate, however, demands plenty of stamina and trainer Gordon Elliott knows what is required, having won it for the first time last year with Lord Scoundrel.

The finish of that race was dominated by horses trained by Elliott and Mullins, who were responsible for the first six home (three each).

Devil’s Bride finished fourth for Mullins last year and, now with Henry de Bromhead, he must have a chance again this year for Henry de Bromhead off a 4lb higher mark.

However, the horse who might cause a surprise to all is Elliott’s Potters Point (25/1 with RaceBets) if he gets a run in Wednesday’s feature race.

Course form is important and the son of Robin Des Champs won his only start at Ballybrit last October in a two-mile hurdle where he made all the running.

Only a novice, he won his first chase in April and has been running consistently but remains on a handicap mark of 132, which gives him every chance, should he secure a berth in the big one.