Russell aboard Plate favourite Galvin as Mullins and Elliott declare six each

Davy Russell will ride Wednesday's Galway Plate favourite Galvin, as trainer Gordon Elliott declared six runners for the Tote-backed Ballybrit highlight on Monday morning.

The Ronnie Bartlett-owned 6-1 chance will have the assistance of the former champion jockey, who will bid for his second win in the race after the 2017 success aboard Balko Des Flos for Henry de Bromhead.

Galway Plate card

Jessica Harrington's Irish Gold Cup fourth Jett stood his ground at the top of the weights alongside Peter Fahey's prolific winner Peregrine Run and 2018 Cheltenham Festival scorer The Storyteller.

Easy Game, who came within half a length of upsetting Faugheen in this year's Grade 1 Flogas Novice Chase, was the shortest-priced runner from the Willie Mullins yard prior to declaration stage as 7-1 second favourite.

Royal Rendezvous: set to be ridden by Paul Townend in Wednesday's feature event at GalwayCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

However, there was a minor curveball thrown at punters when Paul Townend's name appeared beside the name of Grade 3 winner and former course victor Royal Rendezvous, with Patrick Mullins aboard Easy Game.

Willie Mullins also has six in the 22-runner affair, with Robin Des Foret, Cabaret Queen, Livelovelaugh and Blazer completing his team.

Gordon Elliott's six-strong squad is completed by recent Midlands National runner-up Three Musketeers, who will have the assistance of Conor McNamara's 5lb claim, The Big Lense, ridden by last year's winning rider Luke Dempsey, Dinons and second reserve Mighty Stowaway.

Joseph O'Brien will fire three bullets at the €200,000 prize, with Us And Them, last seen finishing third in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham, ridden by JJ Slevin, while Mark Walsh partners the potentially well-treated Early Doors, a former winner of the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham.

Early Doors: former Cheltenham Festival winner will have the assistance of Mark WalshCredit: Patrick McCann

Mortal will also represent the O'Brien, with Oakley Brown in the saddle.

Rachael Blackmore will be aboard Henry de Bromhead's unexposed Spyglass Hill, while Hugh Morgan (claiming 7lb) will ride the stable's other representative Sub Lieutenant, who won at the festival in 2018.

Perhaps the most notable absentee from the final field was Enda Bolger's Everlastingpromise, who was priced up at a general 10-1 and was fourth choice in the market before Monday's declaration stage.

The 150-rated Mengli Khan was also absent at the final declaration stage, with the former Grade 1-winning novice hurdler holding a separate entry for Thursday's Guinness Galway Hurdle.

Everlastingpromise: an absentee from the final field for Wednesday's Tote-backed Galway PlateCredit: Patrick McCann

There was been plenty of rain around Ballybrit on Sunday night but clerk of the course Lorcan Wyer said the jumps course is in good shape ahead of Wednesday's chasing highlight.

Speaking via the IHRB's Twitter feed just after 8am on Monday morning, Wyer said: "We had 14mm up until 7am in this morning and another 2mm since we walked [the track]. The going on the National Hunt course isn't too bad at the moment, good to yielding. The ground on the Flat course is soft."

He added: "There's a little bit of light drizzle here at the moment, clearing at 9am with the forecast essentially dry for Monday and Tuesday. Looking towards Wednesday, there could be a bit of light rain or showers in the afternoon, but overall the amounts are on the low side.

"There will be fresh ground tomorrow [for Flat fixture], seven to eight yards down the back that tapers into five in the home straight. Wednesday's hurdle line will be a fraction stand's side of Tuesday's Flat track. We'll try to find the best racing line we can for them."

Runners for the Tote Galway Plate will go to post at 6.45 on Wednesday evening and the race will be live on RTE2 for Irish terrestrial viewers, as well as on Racing TV.

Tote Galway Plate final field

1 Jett (Robbie Power)
2 Peregrine Run (Kevin Sexton)
3 The Storyteller (Sean O'Keeffe (5))
4 Easy Game (Patrick Mullins)
5 Robin Des Foret (Mikey Fogarty)
6 Us And Them (JJ Slevin)
7 Galvin (Davy Russell)
8 Sub Lieutenant (Hugh Morgan (7))
9 Mortal (Oakley Brown (7))
10 Royal Rendezvous (Paul Townend)
11 Snugsborough Benny (Denis O'Regan)
12 Spyglass Hill (Rachael Blackmore)
13 Dinons (Bryan Cooper)
14 The West's Awake (Phillip Enright)
15 Cabaret Queen (Danny Mullins)
16 Cap York (Eoin Walsh (7))
17 Livelovelaugh (David Mullins)
18 Blazer (Jody McGarvey)
19 Early Doors (Mark Walsh)
20 Three Musketeers (Conor McNamara (5))
21 Winter Escape (Simon Torrens (7))
22 The Big Lense (Luke Dempsey)
23 Black Scorpion (first reserve)
24 Mighty Stowaway (second reserve)
25 Chavi Artist (third reserve)

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