2026 Galway Racing Festival: Schedule, key races and betting highlights

The 2026 Galway Racing Festival runs from Monday 27 July to Sunday 2 August at Ballybrit, County Galway, featuring 54 contests across seven days. The centerpiece is the Tote Galway Plate, a 2 m 6 f handicap chase with 14 fences, scheduled for 18:40 Irish time (1:40 PM ET) on Wednesday 29 July. The race offers a €270,000 prize fund and is expected to draw over 130,000 spectators.

Opening day saw top trainers Willie Mullins and Joseph O’Brien secure victories, with Mullins’ filly Witches Familiar winning the novice hurdle by eight ½ lengths. Other notable entries for the Plate include favourites Funiculi Funicula (6/1) and Nowwhatdoyouthink (6/1) among a 22‑horse field.

A detailed programme lists each day’s headline races, such as the Connacht Hotel Handicap, the Guinness Galway Hurdle Handicap (Grade 3) and various novice hurdles. Live coverage is available on Racing TV internationally and on RTÉ Two in Ireland.

The event also receives media focus through the Final Furlong podcast, which previews the Galway Hurdle Handicap and offers betting trends ahead of the race.