Four more days of racing will take place at Galway Racecourse in October, including the popular three-day Bank Holiday Festival at Ballybrit.
The autumn programme will resume with a National Hunt meeting on Tuesday 6 October, before the three-day Bank Holiday Festival runs from Saturday 24 October to Monday 26 October.
The October 6 card is scheduled to begin at 2.20pm, giving Galway racegoers an opportunity to return to Ballybrit following two autumn meetings held at the course in September.
The three-day Bank Holiday Festival will then get underway on Saturday 24 October with seven National Hunt races.
Gates will open at 11.30am, with the first race due off at 1.53pm and the final race scheduled for 5.18pm.
The current Saturday card includes three maiden hurdles, a rated novice steeplechase, two handicap hurdles, and a Flat race for amateur riders.
Adult admission for Saturday costs €15 when booked in advance or €20 on the day. Advance tickets for senior citizens and people aged between 18 and 24 cost €10, while children aged 17 and under can attend free when accompanied by a parent.
Facilities available on the opening day will include the Claddagh Restaurant, Wilson Lynch Pavilion, Millennium Stand, bars and a large screen for following the action.
Sunday, October 25, will feature the annual Race in Pink event in aid of the National Breast Cancer Research Institute.
The charity race day was launched in 2018 and has since raised more than €450,000 for breast cancer research.
Galway Daily reported on the Race in Pink October Festival last year, when hundreds of people were encouraged to dress in pink and support the fundraiser at Ballybrit.
The first race on this year’s Sunday card is scheduled for 12.50pm.
A Race in Pink hospitality package is also available for €150 per person. The package includes admission, a drinks reception, and a four-course lunch with wine in the Killanin Stand.
Best-dressed competitions for women and men, sponsored by Anthony Ryans, will also form part of the day.
The October Festival will finish with Student Raceday on Bank HolidayMonday 26 October.
The event returns after selling out in 2025, with eight races scheduled between 12.35pm and 4.25pm.
Student tickets include admission and return bus transport from the University of Galway or Atlantic Technological University. Gates are due to open at 11am, with live DJs, photo booths, giveaways, and best-dressed competitions also planned.
On-course bookmakers and Tote facilities will be available during the festival.
Racegoers following horse racing betting online can also compare the available prices before each race. Final declarations, ground conditions, weights, and late withdrawals can all affect the market as a meeting approaches.
The racecard provides the essential details for each runner, but recent finishing positions do not tell the entire story. Previous form at Galway, the distance, expected going, and experience over hurdles or fences may all be relevant when assessing an autumn race at Ballybrit.
The October meetings offer a different atmosphere from the seven-day Summer Festival, which was held from July 27 to August 2 this year.
Smaller crowds give racegoers more time to watch the horses in the parade ring and follow the racing, while Race in Pink and Student Raceday bring their own themes to the final weekend.
The official Galway Races fixture list currently confirms the four October dates and their scheduled first-race times.
Racegoers are advised to check the latest information before travelling, as times and racing conditions may change closer to each meeting.
