THE Noel Meade-trained Road To Riches, successful in the race two years ago, tops the weights for a high-quality renewal of the €220,000 TheTote.com Galway Plate on the third day of the Galway Festival on Wednesday, July 27th.

With a rating of 162, the nine-year-old has been handed 11st 10lbs and would be highest-rated horse to ever run in the race. Since his famous success at Ballybrit in 2014, Road To Riches has won the Grade 1 JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal, the Grade 1 Lexus Chase at Leopardstown and finished third in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase in 2015. At this year’s Cheltenham Festival, he was third to Vautour in the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase.

Gordon Elliott, who has yet to win the race, is responsible for 12 of the 40 entries. A total of 10 of those are owned by Gigginstown House Stud including the dual Grade 1 winner Clarcam who has been allotted 11st and is the highest weighted of the Elliott team.

With five entries, Henry de Bromhead holds the second strongest hand numerically. Last year’s winner, Shanahan’s Turn is set to carry 10st 13lbs as he bids to become the first back-to-back winner of the race since Ansar won for Dermot Weld in 2004 and 2005. De Bromhead has also entered Sadler’s Risk, third in the race 12 months ago, and he is the highest-rated of the County Waterford trainer’s quintet and has been handed 11st.

Like Noel Meade and Henry de Bromhead, Willie Mullins has won TheTote.com Galway Plate only once before and he has entered three horses as he seeks to add to the 2011 success of the Paul Townend-ridden Blazing Tempo. Alelchi Inois is a two-time course winner and he is set to carry 11st 1lb while Devils Bride, successful at the September meeting here last September, is on 10st 12lbs with Ballycasey, a Grade 1 winner over fences as a novice, on 10st 7lbs.

Trainer Mouse Morris enjoyed Grand National wins at Fairyhouse and Aintree in the spring, and he has entered both the Grade 1 winning First Lieutenant (10st 9lbs) and Ravished (9st 11lbs).

Another with two in the race is Joseph O'Brien who could be represented by Friday night’s Kilbeggan runner-up Carriganog and King Leon who went up 6lbs for Sunday’s Tipperary success. Both horses are currently on 9st 10lbs.

With four previous wins in the race, Dermot Weld is the most successful current trainer and he looks set to rely on Three Kingdoms who is set to shoulder 10st 11lbs. Hidden Cyclone holds a number of entries at the Galway Festival and he would carry 11st 1lb if taking up this option.

There are four British-trained entries this year. Leading the way on 10st 10lbs is the Tom George-trained Sir Valentino and the Gloucestershire trainer could also be represented by Cernunnos who has been given 9st 12lbs. The Emma Lavelle-trained Junction Fourteen is another with 10st 10lbs to carry while Jonjo O’Neill’s It’s A Gimmie, who has contested the last two renewals of the race, has been allotted 9st 13lbs. Oslot, trained by Paul Nicholls, was the most recent British-trained winner of the race in 2008.

Michael Moloney, General Manager of Galway Racecourse, said: “We couldn’t be happier with the entries for TheTote.com Galway Plate. It’s great to see the 2014 and 2015 winners, Road To Riches and Shanahan’s Turn among the entries and are looking forward to a terrific renewal a week on Wednesday.”

WEIGHTS AND ENTRIES FOT THE GALWAY PLATE

Road To Riches (162) (NMeade) - . .... 11,10

Alelchi Inois (FR)(153) (WPMullins) - 11,01

Hidden Cyclone (153) (JJHanlon) - . .. 11,01

The Tullow Tank (153) (AFleming) - . . 11,01

Clarcam (FR)(152) (GElliott) - ............ 11,00

Sadler's Risk (152) (Hde Bromhead) - 11,00

Shanahan's Turn (151) (Hde Bromhead) - . .............. 10,13

Devils Bride (150) (WPMullins) - . ....... 10,12

Bright New Dawn (149) (GElliott) - . ... 10,11

Three Kingdoms (149) (DKWeld) - . ... 10,11

Junction Fourteen (148) (ELavelle (in GB)) - . ................... 10,10

Sir Valentino (FR)(148) (TGeorge (in GB)) - .......................... 10,10

First Lieutenant (147) (MFMorris) - . .. 10,09

Shantou Flyer (147) (CBowe) - . ......... 10,09

Ballycasey (145) (WPMullins) - . ......... 10,07

Lord Scoundrel (145) (GElliott) - . ...... 10,07

Home Farm (144) (Hde Bromhead) - . 10,06

Shanpallas (144) (CByrnes) - . ............ 10,06

Sizing Platinum (143) (HdeBromhead) - . .............. 10,05

Tiger Roll (138) (GElliott) - . ................ 10,00

It's A Gimme (137) (JO'Neill (in GB)) - . 9,13

Cernunnos (FR)(136) (TGeorge (in GB)) - ........................... 9,12

Ravished (135) (MFMorris) - . .............. 9,11

Shadow Catcher (GB)(135) (GElliott) . 9,11

The King Of Brega (135) (HdeBromhead) - . ............... 9,11

Carriganog (134) (JPO'Brien) - . .......... 9,10

King Leon (134) (JPO'Brien) - . ............ 9,10

Killer Crow (133) (GElliott) - . ............... 9,09

Yes Tom (133) (SRBCrawford) - . ........ 9,09

Cantlow (132) (EBolger) - . ................... 9,08

Realt Mor (132) (GElliott) - . .................. 9,08

Balnaslow (131) (GElliott) - . ................ 9,07

Rossvoss (GB)(131) (TMWalsh) - . .... 9,07

Unic De Bersy (FR)(130) (GElliott) - . . 9,06

Aranhill Chief (129) (SJMahon) - . ....... 9,05

Horendus Hulabaloo (128) (MFMorris) - . ............... 9,04

Wrath Of Titans (124) (GElliott) - . ....... 9,00

Knockanarrigan (122) (Ms.SHughes) .. 8,12

Nickname Exit (FR)(118) (GElliott) - . . 8,08

Altiepix (FR)(117) (GElliott) - . ............. 8,07