Confident Kidd says Rashaan will love the hill at Galway

Rashaan will attempt to justify ante-post favouritism in Monday’s €100,000 Connacht Hotel qualified riders’ handicap, with his trainer Colin Kidd bullish about the gelding’s chances under 7lb claimer Richie Deegan.

“It’s like this,” Kidd says, “if he's in with a chance at the bottom of the hill I’m not sure there will be many who will be staying on better than him.

“I think he will love the hill at Galway and Richie’s claim should help a lot as well. I think he's very good value for his 7lb, so everything looks good at this stage. All we need is a bit of luck.”

The five-year-old has won six times for Kidd and arrives into the week-long bonanza at Ballybrit having won three of his last four starts, with Kidd rating his latest victory at Cork as one of his best yet.

"He was very tough the last day at Cork, where he stayed on at the back of the second last and I couldn't be happier with him since. He's very tough and the only worry I have for him is the ground – if it's too soft, he won't like it."

Kidd added: “There’s no pressure on us and there’s a huge crowd of us going down on the Monday and we'll enjoy it.

"I would much rather have the favourite than a 50-1 shot for a big race and I'm enjoying all of the excitement that comes with it.

“If he were to run well, we could run him in a handicap hurdle later in the week, but he's not in the Galway Hurdle and that was never the plan. We will just get Monday out of the way first.”