Galway Set For Thrilling Festival As Plate And Hurdle Entries Are Revealed

The Galway Festival kicks off on Monday with the entries for the two biggest races of the week released.

The seven day marathon is always a popular stopping point on the summer racing calendar with fans of both the flat and jumps catered for in terrific conditions at the west of Ireland track.

Considered by many to be one of the most important national hunt races of the summer, the Galway Plate is always a cracking contest and there are 58 horses remaining in the field at the latest stage. The field is of course dominated by the big players of Irish racing with Gigginstown and JP McManus owned horses particularly prominent.

Headline names in the Plate at this stage include Tully East for Alan Fleming, Patricks Park for Willie Mullins and Jury Duty for Gordon Elliott. There are five British trained horses currently in content to head over the Irish Sea including the Neil Mulholland trained Kalondra who was an impressive winner of a novices' chase at Cheltenham last December.

The Galway Hurdle is equally anticipated with excellent prize money on offer and there are currently 44 horses remaining in the 2m contest next Thursday.

Wicklow Brave, a Punchestown Champion Hurdler, looks set to top the weights for Willie Mullins with a host of his stablemates also being back to run well. Whiskey Sour, Good Thyne Tara, Sharjah and Stratum are also towards the top of the betting for the Closutton handler for the €177,000 contest.

Galway week is always a busy one on and off course with the social scene after racing equally attractive to racegoers and we can expect another mix of top class action and more than a touch of entertainment.