The five-year-old, who comes to Tasmania after stints with John O'Shea in Sydney and Toby Edmonds on the Gold Coast, is topweight for the Class 1 Handicap over 1150m.

It took McCulloch two attempts to buy the well-bred daughter of I Am Invincible who has had 10 starts for a win, five seconds, a third, two fourths and a fifth.

"I first tried to buy her at an online auction but ended up being the under-bidder," the trainer said.

"When I thought about it later, I decided I should have gone a bit further (with a higher bid) so I rang up the bloke who did buy her and asked him if he wanted to make a quick profit.

"I made him an offer and the next day he accepted it."

McCulloch said he specifically wanted an I Am Invincible mare and Galway Girl came from a good family.

"Her dam's full sister just sold for $600,000 on the Gold Coast," he said.

"And, she's a lovely type - you wouldn't get a better looker and she'll let down into a beautiful broodmare."

McCulloch said he liked the fact that Galway Girl's breeder, Segenhoe Stud, had thought enough of her to keep her to race themselves.

"They have also sent her dam back to some high class stallions, including Snitzel and Redoutes Choice," he said.

"So there could be some good progeny still to come through and they could potentially add to this mare's value."

Galway Girl hasn't raced since November but was a close second to Tough Boy in a trial 10 days ago.

"I was happy enough with her trial," McCulloch said.

"She probably wants further than Sunday's 1150m because her only win was over 1600m but she has run some good placings over shorter distances."

Galway Girl was only narrowly beaten over 1100m on the Gold Coast first-up last preparation.

McCulloch will have four other runners at the meeting including Red Fiore in the Class 1 Plate over 1880m.

The son of Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente won over 1350m at the track two starts ago and should be suited by the longer distance. He's been placed twice over 2100m.

McCulloch has booked the in-form Georgie Catania for handy mare Terrific Tori who will find the Class 1 an easier assignment than chasing home Tessie in a Benchmark 60 last week.

Hannah Van dongen could be seen in the winner's circle in two different capacities at this weekend's harness meetings.

Van dongen will be represented at Mowbray on Friday night as an owner and in Hobart on Sunday night in her better-known role as a driver.

Her Mowbray runner is impressive last-start winner Shady Story who takes on a smart field of three-year-olds in the Cliff Robins Memorial.

Van dongen owns the lightly-raced gelding and her father Craig is the trainer.

Shady Story won on debut at Devonport in November, when Van dongen drove him herself, but Ricky Duggan was in the sulky when he spaced his rivals by almost 20m at Mowbray three weeks ago.

It was an impressive performance in adverse conditions.

After settling back in the field, Duggan took off at the 1300m to go to the death. He let Shady Story roll to the front at the 500m and the race was virtually over on the home turn.

Shady Story comes up against a better field this week, when Gareth Rattray will be the new driver, but he should again be hard to beat.

Van dongen jumps back in the sulky in Hobart on Sunday when her best drive looks to be the Juanita McKenzie-trained Kardesler.

The former Kiwi has run some good races since moving from Victoria to Tasmania in June but has had to settle for four minor placings.

He produced a huge effort at Mowbray three runs back after making a mess of a standing start and has been solid at two subsequent placings in Hobart.

However he has been a beaten favourite at his past three runs so punters' patience will start to wear thin if he doesn't deliver soon.

Spreyton Sunday

Fitzwilliam, Moss N Bolt

Mowbray Friday

Shady Story, Semowillrev

Hobart Sunday

Kardesler, Jakes A Joy

Sky 1: Spreyton, Hobart

Sky 2: Mowbray