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The countdown to the 2021 Galway Races is on, with less than three weeks until the Summer Races kick off in Ballybrit.
After last year’s races took place behind closed doors, this year it is hoped that 5,000 people could be welcomed at Ballybrit Racecourse for one of the most famed spectacles of Galway.
Should their application for this be approved, a ticket policy announcement will be made shortly.
The Races will run for seven days from Monday, July 26 to Sunday, August 1, with Day One kicking off the week with seven races starting from 4:10pm.
There is a Prize Fund of more than €1.8 million available across 52 races this year. The top prize of the week will be at the hotly contested Tote Galway Plate, which has gone up to €250,000 this year.
he Tote Galway Plate is a race awash with quality, with experienced chasers taking on emerging youngsters, and has produced some high-class recent winners including, Balko Des Flos and Road To Riches.
The race cards on Thursday 29 and Friday 30 July are sponsored in full by the Galway Races long standing partner, Guinness, with Thursday’s Guinness Galway Hurdle now worth €250,000, having also received a boost of €50,000.
The Irish Horse Trust, Ireland’s largest and longest running dedicated equine charity, has been chosen as a charity partner for the 2021 Galway Races.
Founded in 1999, this Wicklow based charity works to re-school, re-habilitate and re-home Thoroughbred horses, with dedicated facilities and specialist care.
Chief Executive of Galway Racecourse Michael Moloney said, “now more than ever, it’s so important to give back and help other organisations when we can.
“The cost to run and staff the facility in Arklow is very high at close to €300,000 per year, and unfortunately due to current times with the cancellation of the majority of their fundraising events.”
“The charity is in need of our support to hit this figure. We hope that our Galway Races fans can help us fundraise for this fantastic charity and support the thoroughbred horse. Every euro donated will go directly to this great cause”
To support and donate this fundraiser, check out www.idonate.ie/GalwayRaces2021.
Of course, as much as the horse racing itself, the Galway Races are renowned for being an unmissable fashion event, with the world renowned Ladies Day taking place on Thursday, July 29.
The Best Dressed competition is being sponsored by Her.ie again this year, and online influencer and model Louise O’Reilly will be judging the competition.
This year’s Fridays Most Stylist Competition, sponsored by Athlone Town Centre returns with a chance for all ladies, no matter where you live in the world, to take part from your living room, kitchen or garden.
Judging the fashion competition are stylist and presenter Marietta Doran who will be joined by previous winner, stylist and Weekend AM presenter Rebecca Rose Quigley.
