Ground no worry for Conna

Jimmy Mangan is unfazed by the prospect of testing conditions when Conna Castle lines up in the William Hill Galway Plate.

The going ahead of the Festival, which begins on Monday, is currently heavy, soft in places.

And although the forecast is for gradual improvement, Mangan would welcome any ease in the ground for his eight-year-old, a ready winner at Killarney on his latest start.

“I got a text from Galway and it said they had seven millimetres of overnight rain there,” said the Co Cork handler.

“That wouldn’t bother my lad because he’s won on heavy before at Punchestown and Naas.”

Conna Castle has 10st 1lb for the Plate but Mangan added: “Unfortunately, Davy Russell won’t be able to make that (weight) so he will definitely be 3lb overweight.

“That’s not the end of the world because he needs a good, strong jockey and Davy gets on very well with him. Looking at the race you’d say we’ve got a very good chance.”

Conna Castle is a 12-1 shot with the sponsors for next Wednesday’s showpiece.

Galway racecourse manager John Moloney anticipates the recent wet spell to have subsided by the start of next week.

“There is rain about but it just depends on how much we get here,” explained Moloney. “The indications are that the weather will pick up. I never like to speculate, but I would say we could be yielding, yielding to soft by the time the meeting starts.

“The track is in magnificent condition.”