THE old adage of horses for courses is surely more fitting at Galway than almost any other track on these shores.

That was proven at the beginning of the week when Teed Up took command in the day-one feature Connacht Hotel Q.R. Handicap and brought his form figures at the track to 211211. Might it be the turn of another Ballybrit regular to make his presence felt in today’s €110,000 feature BoyleSports Handicap Hurdle (2.30)?

Hallowed Star, carrying the same Annette Mee colours as Teed Up, is bidding for back-to-back wins in the listed prize after sharpening up for this assignment with a sixth-placed effort on the flat earlier this week.

On his way to winning this race 12 months ago, the Godolphin castoff finished fifth in a flat maiden in the same week as his festival success, while he also won a beginners’ chase here last October and a different handicap hurdle at the 2021 summer festival. He represents a John ‘Shark’ Hanlon team chasing their first winner of the 2023 Ballybrit spectacular.

History repeating

“It worked well for him last year when running on the flat earlier in the week, and I wouldn’t say no to the same result again!” Hanlon told The Irish Field.

“He ran very well on Wednesday in a two-mile handicap on the flat. This race looks to be very competitive but I think he’s there with every chance.”

On stable star Hewick, who dropped away to finish 14th in Wednesday’s Galway Plate after racing prominently, Hanlon added: “Everything is good with him. He just needs better ground and that’s it. He travelled very well down into the dip and Brian [Hughes] was delighted with him.

“He just felt when going down the hill that it got soft, which wasn’t suiting our horse, and Brian didn’t give him an overly hard time when he felt that was the case. We haven’t decided for definite where he goes next. He could head back to America - why not?”

Deep race

Plenty hold chances in today’s main event. Willie Mullins is responsible for seven of the 20 runners, with Paul Townend staying loyal to Power Of Pause, Thecompanysergeant must have a big chance for Denis Hogan if staying the trip and Bugs Moran is a fascinating contender if able to reproduce his best form after a 464-day break.

Another live contender is the very aptly-named Watch The Weather, whose trainer Ray Cody is hoping for as little rain as possible ahead of the extended-two-mile-and-six-furlong contest.

Owner Sean Connors’ seven-year-old was hit with a 14lb hike in the weights for bolting up at Tipperary last month and now steps up in class with Rachael Blackmore retaining the ride.

Wonderful weather

The in-form Cody, fresh from a Gowran double last weekend, said: “I knew he was going to go up in the weights for last time but the handicapper was probably a bit hard on him. He’s in brilliant form, though.

“We’re really hoping that the rain stays away as he likes nice ground and doesn’t want it testing. He had a breathing procedure after his second last run at Punchestown and I think that has made a big difference to him. He always had a little issue with his wind but we needed to address it after that. He’s in very good form so hopefully conditions stay decent enough for him.”