Hanlon targets double delight at Galway

Trainer John ’Shark’ Hanlon is targeting a Galway Festival double with Truckers Delight next week.

The eight-year-old is the 8-1 second-favourite with Paddy Power for next Thursday’s Arthur Guinness Galway Hurdle, but Hanlon is also hoping to run on the level earlier in the week.

Truckers Delight won a two-mile handicap at the Curragh last month, and Hanlon is aiming for victory on the opening day in a race won by subsequent Galway Hurdle sixth Majestic Concorde last year.

He said: “Truckers Delight runs in the carlton.ie/galwaycity (QR) Handicap (formerly known as the GPT Amateur Handicap) over two miles on the Flat for amateurs on Monday and if everything is right, he will then definitely go for the Galway Hurdle.

“He has come out of the race at the Curragh super, really bouncing and he is in great form.

“He ran four times at Galway last season and won and was placed there. He loves Galway and he loves his racing.

“He goes on every surface, but he is a better horse on nice ground. I’d be a bit worried about the weather and a lot of ground is soft in Ireland at the moment.

“I’m hoping that it dries up for Monday, but if it was heavy he won’t run and then we’d play it by ear for the hurdle.

“I would love to have a winner at Galway for the Mee family (Truckers Delight’s owners) and he deserves his chance in the Galway Hurdle off a nice weight (10st 1lb).”

Dermot Weld has a formidable record at Ballybrit and appears keen on the chance of Vital Plot in the Hurdle. A winner of three races from seven starts over timber, the five-year-old has run two solid races on the Flat since returning from a break.

Weld, speaking after saddling a winner at Naas on Wednesday night, said: “Regarding Galway if I had to tip one of mine it would be Vital Plot in the Galway Hurdle. He is a very adaptable ground-wise and he jumps very well.”

The Willie Mullins-trained Deutschland is Paddy Power’s 7-1 favourite for the Galway Hurdle with last year’s winner, Indian Pace, a 14-1 shot.

Arthur Guinness Galway Hurdle, Paddy Power bet: 7-1 Deutschland, 8-1 Truckers Delight, 10-1 Northern Alliance, 12-1 Classic Swain, Cuan Na Grai, Eagle’s Pass, Raise Your Heart, Sesenta, Vital Plot, 14-1 Fingers, Gay Sloane, Indian Pace, Salute Him, See U Bob, Stage Manager, 16-1 bar.