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The crowds are back, the Guiness is flowing and the King is on song.

That's the state of play at Ballybritt after Day 1 of Galway Week.

And the King?  That's Dermot Weld and on Monday he won the Connacht Hotel Handicap, the feature of opening day, for the 8th time and jockey Fin Maguine was winning for the second year running.  He'd been riding in France but came back to Ireland for the race.  The beat the favourite Foveros by ¾ length with 3rd going to Harry Fry's Littorale Ci 40/1 and Hook Up 4th.

Tuesday's going is yielding and there are two main races for our attention:  the Corrib for f&m is a Listed race over 1400m with Weld's Emaniya heading the market on 7/2 and Colin Keane in the irons.  Mick Halford's Surrounding is on 9/2, Lustown Baba 6/1 and Thinking Of You 11/2 for Joseph O'Brien.

The Mile Handicap has 18 starters and is a very open race.  Marzagran is on 6/1 for Joseph O'Brien and Shane Cross.  Horoscope is on 17/2 for Aidan O'Brien and Seamie Heffernan, Njord whom we like a lot is on 11/2 for Jessica Harrington and Scott McCullagh and we should not that Blue For You 9/1 is the Weld runner with Colin Keane on board.