Whiskey set for second big pot following Monday's course win

6.50 Galway
Guinness Handicap | 3yo+ | 1m4f | ATR

Whiskey Sour, who landed the feature event on the first day of the festival, turns out again in day five's richest prize, the 1m4f Guinness Handicap (6.50).

A two-and-three-quarter-length winner of the Connacht Hotel Handicap for amateur riders on Monday, the Willie Mullins-trained four-year-old is down five furlongs in trip and carries a 7lb mandatory penalty, which leaves him 5lb well in following the handicapper's revised ratings.

Declan McDonogh, who won Tuesday's feature for Mullins on Riven Light, takes the ride.

Mullins, who has sent out three winners of this race, most recently Clondaw Warrior in 2015, said: "As a dual winner at the course, Whiskey Sour seems to be a Galway specialist.

"He seems to have come out of Monday's win well and, although he has a penalty, we're hoping for another big run. Hopefully Monday's race won't have taken too much out of him."

Four-pronged attack

With four runners Tony Martin fields the biggest team, with Sweet Company, a course-and-distance winner a year ago, making his second appearance of the week having finished seventh behind Whiskey Sour on Monday.

"Sweet Company came out of Monday's race well and we're happy to let him take his chance back down in trip – he's a course winner so we're hopeful," said Martin, who took this race with Artful Artist in 2014 and Golden Spear a year ago.

Previous festival winner

Like Sweet Company, Tara Dylan won over the course and trip at last year's festival and the Tom Mullins-trained five-year-old returns to Ballybrit for her third start of the season.

Sixth in a 1m6f Listed event at Leopardstown last month, Ronan Whelan's mount reverts to handicap company, and her trainer said: "She's well, but is a lot higher than when she won at the meeting a year ago. Her course form should be a help but she wouldn't want the ground to get any slower."

Weld drought

For all his big-race victories at the festival down the years, this event has not figured highly on Dermot Weld's list of achievements at Ballybrit.

He last won the race with Garboni in 1993, and this time fields Haripour, a maiden winner over 1m5f at Navan before finishing in rear in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot.

The three-year-old is making his handicap debut and Weld said: "He seems well and I expect him to run a good race, although I wouldn't want to see any more rain."

What they say

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Cook Islands
He's had a few nice runs over hurdles and this will be his first run on the Flat this year. It's a good pot and we thought it was worth letting him take his chance. He's in good form.

Edward O'Grady, trainer of Le Vagabond
He's very well. His owners are from Galway and we're looking forward to running and hoping he goes well.

Tony Martin, trainer of Moonmeister, The Moore Factor, Sweet Company and The Plan Man
Moonmeister was sixth in the race last year. He came out of his run at Haydock well and should give a good account. The Plan Man ran well at the Curragh a couple of runs back and should go well off bottom weight. We were happy with The Moore Factor's run at Leopardstown when reverting from hurdles.

Eoin Doyle, trainer of Fiesole
He's in good form but he has gone up in the weights and a mile and a half around Galway just might sap his stamina.