# 2026 Galway Racing Festival > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/2026-galway-races-festival > Updated: 2026-07-28T11:39:44.000Z. Sources: 11. Developments: 2. In late July 2026, the Galway Racing Festival saw ticket demand rise 36 % year‑on‑year, prompting new safety‑focused admission policies and a dedicated shop. Pre‑festival racing highlighted a double win by Brian Hayes for trainer Willie Mullins. Organisers then released the official details for a seven‑day programme running from Monday 27 July to Sunday 2 August at Ballybrit, featuring 54 contests. The marquee Tote Galway Plate chase – a 2 m 6 f handicap chase with 14 fences – is slated for 18:40 Irish time on Wednesday 29 July, carries a €270,000 prize fund and is expected to attract more than 130,000 spectators. Opening day delivered victories for top trainers Willie Mullins and Joseph O’Brien, with Mullins’ filly Witches Familiar winning the novice hurdle by eight ½ lengths. Notable Plate contenders include favourites Funiculi Funicula (6/1) and Nowwhatdoyouthink (6/1) among a 22‑horse field. The detailed schedule lists headline races such as the Connacht Hotel Handicap, the Guinness Galway Hurdle Handicap (Grade 3) and various novice hurdles. Live coverage will be provided on Racing TV internationally and RTÉ Two in Ireland, while the Final Furlong podcast offers previews and betting trends for the Galway Hurdle Handicap. ## Timeline ### 2026-07-28: 2026 Galway Racing Festival: Schedule, key races and betting highlights The 2026 Galway Racing Festival (27 July–2 August) features the €270k Galway Plate on 29 July, 54 races, top trainers Mullins and O’Brien, and betting favorites Funiculi Funicula and Nowwhatdoyouthink. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/2026-galway-races-summer-festival-schedule-announced ### 2026-07-24: Galway Races 2026 sees surge in ticket sales and pre‑festival horse racing wins Ticket sales for Galway Races 2026 jump 36% with most tickets sold out, while Brian Hayes nets a double for Willie Mullins in a pre‑festival race. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/galway-races-2026-sees-surge-in-ticket-sales-and-prefestival-horse-racing-wins --- Cite as: 2026 Galway Racing Festival. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/2026-galway-races-festival