Dermot Weld made his usual good start to the week with a double on the opening evening, and the master of Rosewell once again holds several strong chances. Former high-class bumper horse Universal Truth should be very hard to beat in the opening maiden hurdle after gaining some important experience at Leopardstown over Christmas, while Zaminast is a fascinating newcomer in the fillies two year-old maiden.

The latter faces a tough task on her debut against the beautifully-bred Why however, Aidan O’Brien’s filly likely to improve significantly on her recent debut fourth at the Curragh.

Weld’s Northern Rocked is sure to be well-fancied for the 7f handicap at 8.05, but another course specialist Fit The Cove catches the eye here despite having to shoulder top-weight. Harry Rogers’ veteran is now back on the same mark as when notching the first of his two wins at last year’s festival and showed signs of a revival when third at Naas last week.

The Carlton.ie/Galwaycity Qualified Riders Handicap (formerly the GPT) tops the bill on the opening evening, and the Dermot Weld-trained Sublime Talent will be the starting point for many. The son of Sadlers Wells ran well at last year’s festival and comes into this on the back of a good win at the Curragh. However the likes of Galiann (having her first start for new owner JP McManus) and Bellewstown scorer Cyborg may be too strong for him over this longer trip.

The action gets under way with a novice hurdle for four year-olds in which Fingal Rock is the clear pick at the weights. However Peter Casey’s mare was disappointingly beaten by today’s rival Jerry’s Agent at Bellewstown earlier this month and could be vulnerable to Gordon Elliott’s improving Cabernet Sauvignon.

Paul Nolan has enjoyed some great days at Ballybrit down the years, and his Mull On The Run can be expected to go close in the 2m handicap hurdle if fit enough for his first outing since Easter. He bumped into a very well-handicapped animal at Punchestown on his last jumps start in Scholars Mate.

As usual on the opening night it will be a major shock if Dermot Weld leaves empty-handed, but his warm favourite A Word Apart is opposed with Kevin Prendergast’s Tashqeel in the two year-old maiden. The Rosewell House maestro’s best chance may lie in the concluding bumper via Naas runner-up Fort Defiance.

Many of the big flat stables are represented in the early races, and following Famous Name’s excellent win at Leopardstown last night Dermot Weld will be hoping for another late boost ahead of the Ballybrit extravaganza courtesy of Treasure The Cross in the opening 1m fillies maiden. The daughter of Cape Cross has been runner-up on both starts to date, including over tonight’s course and distance on her debut, and may put her race fitness to good use against likely danger Saajidah.

By The Sea gained due reward for some solid efforts in defeat when scoring at Gowran Park earlier this month and promises to go well once again in the 47-60 1m handicap at 6.35. Headford Lady went agonisingly close to landing a big price gamble at Killarney last week and is feared most.

With several significant non-runners, Midnight Soprano and Bellewstown second Scots Gaelic could be the two to concentrate on in the 1m2f maiden at 7.35.

Tony Mullins has his dual purpose string in good heart at present and will have high hopes of a double with recent Ballinrobe third Fammi Sognare in the claimer and Battling Boru in the bumper. The latter’s Limerick form was given a timely boost when runner-up Jewel In The Sun bolted up on Tuesday.

Indeed it will represent a major shock if the Ballydoyle maestro fails to capture the first of the feature events, the Korean Racing Authority Tyros Stakes, where he saddles half the four-strong field including red-hot favourite Zoffany. The son of Dansili put his Royal Ascot disappointment behind him to make it three wins from four starts in a Listed contest here earlier this month and should be much too strong for his rivals.

Steinbeck is the big O’Brien hope for the Jockey Club Of Turkey Meld Stakes, but the Footstepsinthesand colt proved rather disappointing in the St James’s Palace Stakes last month and faces a formidable rival in Famous Name. The latter is a real course specialist, and despite conceding weight all round should still prove very hard to beat.

Holly Hill indicated that a return to the winner’s enclosure might not be too far away when a good fourth at the Curragh on Sunday and off a 3lb lower mark has solid prospects in the apprentices handicap, while Peacock’s Pride is a fascinating contender for the concluding 1m6f handicap after landing a maiden hurdle on his first start for John Kiely.

The Listed Sweet Mimosa Stakes is a worthy feature event, and the 6f contest has attracted a couple of interesting overseas raiders in the shape of Swiss Diva and Prescription. The latter’s trainer Sir Mark Prescott has his team in good form at the moment and given his superb record with runners here (most of them ridden by tonight’s jockey Declan McDonogh) she ought to prove hard to beat, with the in-foal Miss Gorica perhaps best of the home defence.

Fencing Master has been competing at a high level this season and Aidan O’Brien’s son of Oratorio should appreciate the drop in class for the Declan O’Brien Decompaction Company supporting Naas hurling Race at 8.00. However in Curragh maiden winner Wade Giles he faces a very promising rival and it could be closer between the pair than the betting this morning indicates.

Pat Flynn’s hot streak may well continue in the 1m apprentice handicap, where the Waterford handler once again joins forces with the very capable Joseph O’Brien. Their hope Aoibhinn is likely to appreciate the step back up to tonight’s trip after staying on later over 7f here last time.

Jack Cool will be many people’s idea of the best bet of the fixture, Charles Byrne’s son of One Cool Cat being turned out quickly under a penalty after taking advantage of De Senectute’s last flight blunder to land another gamble for his trainer at Killarney last week. That was his first outing for the yard and there may well be more to come.

Gordon Elliott, who has a good recent record here, once again sends a strong team to the western venue and Perth bumper scorer Esporao may represent his best chance in the opening maiden hurdle. However former Ballydoyle inmate Hail Caesar could be tough to beat in light of a reasonable effort at Bellewstown earlier this month.

Kaitlins Joy is a fascinating jumping debutante in the 2m maiden hurdle, in which Carrigmartin and Elliott’s Definite All Star are also worthy of close consideration, while Grande Luso and costly Limerick failure Jewel In The Sun may dominate the finish of the concluding bumper.

Pat Flynn has his horses in such good form at the moment (another two winners yesterday) that his runners deserve the closest scrutiny, and recent Gowran Park runner-up Yes Missus looks his best chance in the 1m1f maiden at 7.20. The daughter of Alamshar made good progress from her debut effort to chase home Jim Bolger’s Saoi last time, and provided the latter’s stable-mate Sanan Dancer isn’t of similar calibre should go one better.

Flynn saddles Listowel winner Jeangeorges in the concluding 1m1f handicap and following another solid effort at Down Royal last time ought to be thereabouts once again in the concluding handicap. Last week’s Killarney eye-catcher Gra Geal Mo Chroi is another for the short-list here.

Lough Ferrib is likely to appreciate the return to a longer trip in the 6.20 after attracting the attention of the stewards over an inadequate trip at the Curragh, the veteran son of Accordion still potentially well-handicapped in this sphere, while Flynn’s Connyella and useful jumper Beau Michael could be the two to concentrate on in the night’s feature event half an hour later.

Snow Fairy, Meeznah and Remember When, the first three home at Epsom, renew rivalry while the 1-2 in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot also take each other on again. Hibaayeb had the better of the argument on that occasion but runner-up Eldalil was having just her third career start and could get closer this time. Perhaps Meeznah can improve enough to give her young trainer David Lanigan a fairytale success in his burgeoning training career.

The Group 3 Anglesey Stakes is all about quality rather than quantity, with just four runners set to line up. The most interesting of them is the only newcomer Glor Na Mara, who has been well-touted for some time and was originally due to make his debut in the Railway Stakes on Derby weekend. Samuel Morse, runner-up in that race, sets the standard on form, while Dunboyne Express looked good when justifying strong support on his debut at Leopardstown.

She’s Our Mark boasts solid prospects of repeating last year’s victory in the Kilboy Estate Stakes, with the easing ground likely to be in her favour, while recent Fairyhouse scorer Park Ranger could give Katie Walsh a second Ladies Derby.

There is also some high quality jumps action at Tipperary this afternoon, with two Galway Hurdle winners going head to head in the featured Kevin McManus Bookmakers Grimes Hurdle. Bahrain Storm is set to bid for a follow-up at Ballybrit in eleven days time if all goes well here, but Paul Nolan’s charge – who could take in Wednesday week’s Plate – may just have his measure. His trainer stated during the week that this has been his big summer target for some time.

Gordon Elliott’s Russian War is not the most straightforward type, but should follow up his Bellewstown maiden victory provided he is on his best behaviour in the 3m hurdle.

Jeremy Noseda sent out Formosina to land the Railway Stakes here on Derby weekend, and it is unlikely that he will have left much to work on ahead of the Kyllachy entire’s seasonal debut. He was beaten by one of today’s rivals Duff at Doncaster on his penultimate start of 2009, but that was a funny race in which Fran Berry ploughed a lone furrow down the stands side on the winner and last year’s Irish 2000 Guineas runner-up Rayeni may pose a greater threat.

Today also sees the first nursery of the year, and with the race being run in honour of her mother Tracey Collins will be especially keen to land the prize with Belleau. The daughter of Big Bad Bob knuckled down well to score at Roscommon, but there are several unknown quantities lurking amongst the opposition with the potential to improve past her.

Toufan Express has shaped as though returning to form on his last couple of starts and should give another good account in the 7f handicap, though his low draw may not be ideal.

Polar Explorer is another for whom the draw could have been kinder, but Charles O’Brien’s unexposed sprinter can nevertheless be expected to step up significantly on last week’s eighth at Tipperary on what was his first outing since April in the 6f handicap.

There’s some cracking games this weekend as the qualifiers heat up. Dublin’s footballers are yet to convince the media or their supporters of their ability to have a worthwhile run through the summer. The Dubs have a different set of standards to live up to than most teams though. It’s hard to imagine any side coming in for as much criticism as Dublin did after their eight point win over Tipp. This is knockout football now and all that counts is getting through.

Armagh will pose a major threat to Dublin on Saturday. We’ve priced the Dubs as narrow favourites at 8/11 and offer Armagh at 11/8. Bar the Monaghan game where the mitigating circumstances of being down a man by half time and suffering a tactical checkmate at the hands of Banty and Grimley, this Armagh side has done little wrong. Jamie Clarke and Steven McDonnell have between them the youth and experience, the zip and the guile, to turn an embarrassing spotlight on Dublin’s loose defending again. I think the game will be there for the taking by the more composed team in the dying minutes and historically will become a landmark game for both victors and vanquished. If pushed I’d side with Armagh but there’s very little between the sides as I see it.

Derry’s run through the qualifiers has been arguably soft thus far, well that all ends on Saturday as the busy and robust game plied by Kildare comes to town. The aura of Derry’s invincibility at Celtic Park was punctured by Armagh earlier this summer and that’s a boost for the Lilywhites who played their third successive game against Ulster opposition having drawn with – and then beaten – Antrim in recent weeks. It’s hard to split the sides again but I’ve gone with Derry as 4/5 favs because I think home advantage is such a factor in the qualifiers. As county sponsors we’re firmly rooting for the Oak Leafers of course!

Finally a look at the Ulster Final. Monaghan have been ruthless in their destruction of Ulster opposition on their way to the Clones showpiece. While some may question whether there is a ‘home’ advantage here, I firmly believe that it’s certainly more in Monaghan’s favour to play at Clones rather than say Casement Park. They have been backed from 13/8 in to 11/8 to take the victory in 70 minutes so there is certainly no shortage of belief from the betting public in Monaghan’s ability. That being said, a motivated and fit Tyrone team is a unique force in the game and one that no many have bettered. For me, its a question of hunger and I think Monaghan might want this silverware more, but looking at my book on this game, I hope I’m wrong.

Punt On!

Follow Ladbrokes GAA on Facebook