Galway Festival day one tips: Johnny Ward's three best bets

It's all about Billy Lee on day one of the Galway Festival on Monday. Or hopefully so!

I write this before the All-Ireland Gaelic football final and hope sincerely that my home county will prevail and parade Sam Maguire at the races for the first time.

We have crowds back at the greatest Festival of Irish racing – and they are sure to enjoy it. It’s a long week, with Glorious Goodwood to also take your mind. Gamble responsibly.

Willie Mullins is mob-handed here but the main three in the market are all opposable, either because of stamina doubts or the draw, neither of which are applicable to Dutch Shultz, whose trainer, Gavin Cromwell is seeking a first win in this.

Joey Dunne has a nice draw in the middle and those in high gates often have next to no chance in this. He's only had four runs on the Flat, last seen on the level absolutely bolting up at Gowran in October, and it's hard to see how he has been put in at 18-1 given that this was the last time we saw him in this sphere.

Andy Oliver is in cracking form and his head must have melted when the draw came out for this, with Band Width in stall 17.

Black Cat Bobby won from 16 last year, but there's no getting away from the fact it makes life complicated. However, he looks so well-handicapped on his Limerick run that I cannot resist him. Who better to ride a waiting race than Billy Lee?

It's fair enough that Common Practice makes the market here and he's sure to go well on his Curragh run. However, War Correspondent was massively eye-catching at Dundalk, when keen and caught well out of his ground early off a modest pace, only to flash home. My only concern here is the draw but it's a 12-furlong affair and that man Lee is booked.