Amateur jockey Patrick Mullins joined Ger Gilroy and Johnny Ward on Friday Night Racing this week, as the countdown begins towards the 2021 Galway Racing Festival.

One of the highlights of the seven-day festival will be the Galway Plate, which is set to go off at 6.15pm on Wednesday the 28th.

Declarations are yet to be made for the race at the time of writing, but Willie Mullins is set to have plenty of contenders for the 2 mile 6 and a half furlong chase.

Patrick Mullins, who rides for his uncle Willie's yard, gave us his thoughts on some of the high-profile Mullins contenders for the Plate.

"Easy Game has 11 stone 9 (pounds), I rode him in it last year when it rained, and his game just doesn't play when it rains. 11st 9lbs , I think only two horses since 1999 have carried more than 11 stone in the Plate, so this is a race where weight does matter. Off 11,9 he's probably out of it.

Patrick Mullins | The Galway Plate contenders

"Brahma Bull, 11st 6 is probably topped out, he looked like he was all out to win his handicap at Punchestown.

"Coming back down to Royal Rendezvous. He was second in it last year, possibly a bit unlucky in it, if the cards had fallen the other way he might have been able to win, but he's 8 pounds higher for it, so that's going to make life difficult for him," Mullins said

"Annamix at 11st 3lbs, right kind of profile but he's a horse who disappointed us hugely. Maybe this will be the time he pops up in a big race, but again he has plenty of weight..

"LiveLoveLaugh is there as well, again is he topped out at his age?

"For me, the one probably is Koshari down at 10st 6lbs. He's won a good handicap hurdle at Punchestown. He's quite unexposed, he's a lightly raced horse, but he's had his injury troubles and he isn't the most fantastic jumper and that would be the query around him.

"But he had 10 stone 6, and when you see one of our horses getting in at the bottom, that could be unexposed, I think you should always follow them."