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A decent handicap hurdle, and a good handicap chase. Apart that its a load of old dirge isn’t it? Whats the fuss?
BUY THE SUN
The fact a horse which had won a Premier Handicap last time out was sent off at 50/1 at Galway for another one tells you all you need to know about what everyone in Ireland really thinks of the integrity of racing in their own country.
Ok, it was on a higher mark, but 50/1?
The assumption was the race would be packed with plots that would improve past it for the application of cash.
The irony is it won.
If there’s one thing worse than bent racing, it’s bent racing you can’t always rely on to be bent.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Agree TTC. At seven days, it goes on far too long.
It is not even that nice as a track. I went there about three years ago (for the September meeting, not the festival). There was hardly anyone there and it is on the edge of an industrial estate. Not exactly scenic, unlike a lot of tracks in Ireland which are in nice countryside.
I think the meeting coincides with a music festival and a food festival in the city but I doubt they have gone ahead given the Irish government’s hardline approach on Covid.
Plenty of people like it though. The fellow who owns the B&B I stayed in says he has people who have booked with him for festival week every year for about the last 20 years.
Must be almost exclusively a social attraction. The racing has been dire since Galway Hurdle day, and not massively better before.
BUY THE SUN
Agree with all these points; modest racing, impenetrable form, excessively crowded (usually), unattractive venue.
Clearly a case of far too many days diluting the product……..are you listening Cheltenham!
In a week with no other Irish meetings at all (correct me if I’m wrong) Aidan only sent out 11 runners at all. Not even Weld, who really loves this meeting, runs anything decent there. It’s just too many handicaps and apart from Saldier, The Shunter or Samcro, you don’t get to see many potential Festival runners/winners either.
JP ended the 7-day meeting with ZERO winners from 29 runners!!!
Must be almost exclusively a social attraction. The racing has been dire since Galway Hurdle day, and not massively better before.
The racing this year has felt a lot less exciting due to the cards having to be separated between flat and jumps (COVID).
Galway week is one of the best race week experiences you’ll have, the track is brilliant and you’ll be able to get any food/drink you wish without queuing for ages like a lot of tracks (Leopardstown i’m looking at you), and that’s with 10,000s there.
The racing is never suggested to be top notch stuff, and has always been there for all trainers to target, not just the Hamdans, Coolmores etc. That’s clear. You’ll still find plenty of very good horses targeted there for the prize money.On a side note, having watched a lot of Goodwood, i’m surprised that hasn’t been included in this post, bar a few top races it’s drab, given it’s “expected” to be of a high level, i suggest it’s the diluted meeting.
It’s just too many handicaps and apart from Saldier, The Shunter or Samcro, you don’t get to see many potential Festival runners/winners either.
Ruby, it’s a summer festival, how many of those do you expect to churn out festival runners? Why so obsessed with March in July/August lol?
Also you’ll find the likes of Hermosa, Hermosa, Tarnawa, Petite mustique (107 2yo before injury), Champers Elysees, Alpine Star, Capri and Santiago have all ran there in recent years, and they are targeted quite often at festivals in the summer!If there’s one thing worse than bent racing, it’s bent racing you can’t always rely on to be bent.
The assumption was the race would be packed with plots that would improve past it for the application of cash.
Ian a 50-1 winner where the winners in the past winners have been: 11/1, 9/1, 11/1, 7/2f, 11/2f, 6/1, 12/1, 10/1 and 7/1 since 2012? One 50/1 winner is an example of bent racing….jeez watery stuff.Assumption the race would be packed with plots, but the 4/1f was Njord running off 110…..
Other than possibly JOB’s (won well up 12lb for that though hardly screams “plot”), i’d love to know where the other plots were near the head of the market..The length of time it’s on does seem long to some, especially for those who argue against the 5th day of Cheltenham, but this is a totally different meeting and i assure you if you went for 2-3 days you’d understand why it’s a very popular race week all week.
Twitter: Jackh1092
Hindsight is 20/20 so make the most of it!“Galway week is one of the best race week experiences you’ll have, the track is brilliant and you’ll be able to get any food/drink you wish without queuing for ages like a lot of tracks.”
Food and drink is certainly something Irish tracks do better than Britain. Even fairly small venues like Bellewstown, Ballinrobe and Tramore have restaurants offering a good range of hot food, which you can sit down and eat in comfort at a table. As you say, Galway has a good restaurant as well.
I noticed there were no mixed cards at Galway this year but had not figured out it was due to Covid restrictions. Personally I think it worked better. I dislike mixed cards.
I assume it will be the same at Listowel.
The racing back operating as mixed cards is very important, so i hope it’s done, but again as above, the racing has never been proposed to be “top notch” racing. It’s for all types of trainer and that’s partly why it’s able to stage a 7 day card and have lots of runners- the small trainers get a chance to win good prize money and have a great experience with it.
It’s actually something i’d argue would help English racing- cutting out the 3 and 4 meetings per day and providing a festival that’s good for the crowds, good prize money and not solely for the massive yards/owners which happens too often (also in Ireland i know).Though FF91 i get your point, everyones into racing for different things- i enjoy a low grade card at Down Royal/ Downpatrick as much as a Saturday card somewhere.
Twitter: Jackh1092
Hindsight is 20/20 so make the most of it!I stopped going to the Ayr grand national/gold cup purely because you spend half the afternoon dodging piss/coke heads and its impossible to get near the paddock , Kelso is my favourite course , always tend to get competitive racing and it just feels a bit more countrified ( sorry I am a farmer’s son ) I don’t drink so I’m quite happy in my Barbour jacket and strong cuppa studying the racing post at the paddock
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
I agree with you jack, most will remember a time when there was no summer jumping in the UK. Galway is a nice interlude for us jumps fans, a great opportunity for the horses that prefer the quicker going. There’s lots of folks that bemoan the dominance of Cheltenham but let’s be realistic, it’s probably the best jumps action you will get over the summer.
The prize money for some of the shoulder races seemed too low though £8/9k, if they upped that it wud be a real cracking jumps card for the time of year.
Other than possibly JOB’s (won well up 12lb for that though hardly screams “plot”), i’d love to know where the other plots were near the head of the market..
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