'The Galway Hurdle was the plan - even before he went and won at Aintree'

It's already been a remarkable transformation from enigmatic nearly horse to Grade 1-winning hurdler for Belfast Banter. Now, the rapid improver is bidding for a rare festival treble as he attempts to follow up his Cheltenham and Aintree triumphs in next week's Guinness Galway Hurdle.

Trainer Peter Fahey had been targeting the €250,000 prize before the six-year-old ran out an impressive winner of the Top Novices' Hurdle in April; indeed, he has been dreaming of Galway glory ever since his County Hurdle success off a British mark of 129 the previous month.

Belfast Banter will now have to defy a mark of 144 at Ballybrit, though William Hill make him favourite to do just that at 9-1.