The first race of the 2012 Galway Races Festival will get off at the new time of 4pm tomorrow, Monday the 30th July at Ballybrit. Sponsored by Galway’s Best Hotels, all seven races on the card are sponsored by Galway’s leading hotels; Carlton Hotel, Radisson Blu, Galway Bay Hotel, Hotel Meyrick, the g Hotel, Claregalway Hotel, Clayton Hotel, Galway Oyster Hotel and the Pillo Hotel. The feature race of the day is the ‘Carlton Hotel Galway City (Q.R) Handicap’ valued at €70,000.
Monday afternoon at the Galway Races is traditionally a sports hero’s evening at Ballybrit and this year race goers will enjoy the charisma and charm of Today FM’s leading sporting commentator, Mr Paul Collins who will take to the stage between the Millenium and Killian Stands to introduce some of Ireland’s leading sporting personalities from Irish racing, rugby and soccer.
Irish flat racing jockeys Colm Donoghue and Chris Hayes will share their thoughts on Ballybrit, the Galway Races and Irish racing on Monday afternoon with Paul Collins who will also be joined by leading Irish national hunt jockey Davey Russell and Robbie Mc Namara.
As the rugby season gets back into swing Connacht Players Gavin Duffy, Mike Mc Carthy and Ronan Loughney will join Collins to discuss their forthcomingConnachtrugby fixtures schedule which was announced during the past week. They also have a few “tales” on race horses which they’ve ran inGalwaya couple of years ago!
Just back training with Leinster Rugby Eoin Reddan returns toGalwayfor Monday evening’s racing at Ballybrit. Reddan started out at Connacht and Today FM’s Paul Collins will no doubt be keen to engage some rivalry between theLeinsterand Connacht Players. Retired Irish andMunsterlegend David Wallace is also taking time out to enjoy the opening day’s racing at Ballybrit and some fun with his rugby colleagues.
Irish Soccer international andUKclubWolverhampton’s player Stephen Hunt will make the trip for the first day’s racing of the 2012 Galway Races Festival. Hunt has a keen interest in race horses and ran a horse at Ballybrit in recent years.
Earlier on Monday, at 2.30pm, a bridal party with a difference will launch the racing festival this year! The novel fundraiser in aid of Special Olympics Connaught will see ladies donning their wedding dresses once more to parade one furlong (200 metres) before the first race on the opening day of the festival!
Ladies are also invited to dress to impress on Monday as Galway milliner Suzie Mahoney and guest judge TV3’s Noel Cunningham will go in search of the ‘Most Appropriately Dressed Lady’ at the track with a host of fantastic prizes to be won! Today FM’s Paul Collins at 6.00pm will invite the judges to announce their chosen winner of the most ‘Most appropriately Dressed Lady’.
Throughout the evening Paul Collins will have some Galway Races tickets to giveaway for the following 6 days races. So keep an eye on the racing and a close ear on his clever interviews with the sports personalities to be in with a chance to win tickets.
