On a Plate for classy Oslot

OSLOT can become only the third British-trained winner in the history of the Galway Plate by landing the major feature of the week at Ballybrit today.

Amlah did the business for Philip Hobbs in 1998 and, rather extraordinarily, you have to go back to 1904 to a horse called Strategy to find the first successful invader.

The fact Oslot’s trainer, Paul Nicholls, who doesn’t bother much with summer jumping, has now targeted the massive first prize of €144,600 is an obvious tip in itself.

Oslot has never previously contested a handicap over fences and that’s a worry. But he has a real touch of class and his score is four from five.

Arguably, however, his best performance came in defeat when narrowly beaten by Mahogany Blaze at Sandown. Mahogany Blaze was subsequently good enough to finish fifth to Tidal Bay in the Arkle at Cheltenham.

Nicholls has also gone to the trouble of bringing across Hoo La Baloo, owned, like Oslot, by the Stewart family, and the net result is there has been no rise in the weights and the selection can race off an attractive 10-13.

Ansar, who has won seven times round the track, including two Plates, has been given a real chance by the handicapper.

The 12-year-old has shown on the flat of late he’s far from a back number and now races of a mark 7lbs lower than last year, when finishing fourth behind Sir Frederick.

There are lots of others who are not without hope, but if there’s a real blot at the weights then Oslot seems easily the most likely candidate.

Whatever the fate of Ansar, it might well develop into yet another good afternoon for Dermot Weld.

His Designated Decoy, blinkered for the first time, gets the nap in the williamhillarcade.com Maiden. The Danzig colt wasn’t knocked about when beaten a neck by Invincible Joe over seven furlongs at Fairyhouse and will relish this step up in trip.

Weld’s’ German-import Directa King, who ran a nice sort of race when seventh behind Flashy Beau at the Curragh, should go close in the William Hill 1800 333 555 Handicap.

Another live Weld possibility is Redwater River in the extended mile williamhillpoker.com Handicap, having warmed up for this with a spin over five furlongs at Tipperary.