Galway

They say the Galway Festival has an unrelenting ability to provide a springboard for young jockeys. Ride a winner at the Galway Festival on terrestrial television and it's worth 10 around the country tracks.  Think of the baby-faced Colin Keane storming to Topaz Mile glory aboard Brendan Brackan (Ire) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) for his boss Ger Lyons back in 2013 as a five-pound claimer.  Just last week, we had local boy Danny Gilligan earning the plaudits for his front-running masterclass aboard Gordon Elliott's Ash Tree Meadow (Fr) (Bonbon Rose...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Insights features a promising daughter G1SW Clemmie (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 18.10 Galway, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, f, 7fT Aidan O'Brien representative MAYFAIR (IRE) (Justify) is a full-sister to recent Listed Cairn Rouge S. runner-up Unless out of G1 Cheveley S. victrix Clemmie (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), herself a full-sister to...

Ado McGuinness has described the Galway Festival as a place for the ordinary man to make a name for himself and revealed that he will be aiming up to 20 horses at this year's seven-day bonanza, headed by the remarkable Current Option (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).  Bidding for a fourth successive triumph in the "Ahonoora" Handicap next month, Current Option will be joined by Galway regulars Saltonstall (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), Sirjack Thomas (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) and Casanova (GB) (Frankel {GB}), all of whom were seen stretching their legs on the...

Unleashed in the seven-furlong Galway maiden in which Dermot Weld had saddled the winner 14 times since 1990, The Aga Khan's Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) surged to TDN Rising Star status on Tuesday evening with a performance full of Classic promise. Sent off the 7-2 second favourite for the Colm Quinn BMW Irish EBF Fillies Maiden, the February-foaled half-sister to the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, G1 Prix Vermeille and G1 Prix de l'Opera heroine Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) who was third in this four years ago was always travelling comfortably tracking...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Observations features a half to three-time Group 1 winner Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal). 6.10 Galway, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo f, 7fT TAHIYRA (IRE) (Siyouni {Fr}) is a fascinating newcomer from the Dermot Weld stable which has such a rich history at this festival and in this maiden in particular with...

Trainer Jessica Harrington has been fined €2,000 after the incorrect horse was saddled and won a 2-year-old maiden at the Galway Festival. Harrington's Alizarine (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) appeared to win the Colm Quinn BMW Irish EBF Fillies Maiden on debut July 27. Instead, it was discovered that the Harrington-trained 3-year-old Aurora Princess (Ire) (The Gurkha {Ire}) had run instead. The latter was marked a non-runner in a handicap race later on the card and the race was instead awarded to Twinkle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). After calling the incident...

Trainer Jessica Harrington took to Twitter on Wednesday to apologize for the error that saw the wrong horse run in, and cross the wire first, in a 2-year-old maiden at Galway on Tuesday. Harrington's first-time starter Alizarine (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) had been entered for the race and appeared to run out an eye-catching winner, but it was soon discovered that the stable's 3-year-old filly Aurora Princess (Ire) (The Gurkha {Ire}), who had nine prior starts for two wins, had mistakenly run instead. Galway stewards disqualified the winner, meaning...

A mix-up between two fillies trained by Jessica Harrington led to the first past the post in Galway's second race, the Colm Quinn Irish EBF Fillies Maiden, later being disqualified.  The juvenile contest initially appeared to have been won by Kirsten Rausing's debutante Alizarine (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}). Following an objection and stewards' enquiry, the filly transpired to be her 3-year-old stable-mate Aurora Princess (Ire) (The Gurkha {Ire}), a dual winner in June who was set to be making her tenth start. She was subsequently withdrawn. An initial enquiry...

Trainer Stephen Mahon has been banned by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) for a period of four years set to end Apr. 14, 2025 after being found to have breached Rule 148(I), Rule 148 (IV), Rules 149 (I) and (II), Rule 272 and Rule 273 (XIII) after horses in his care were found to have been neglected to varying degrees. Mahon has also been ordered to contribute €5,000 in costs. Following inspections at his premises at Kilcolgan, County Galway, Mahon first had his licence suspended Apr. 17. The Referrals...

1st-Galway, €16,500, Mdn, 9-8, 2yo, 8f 123yT, 1:58.03, hy. KYPRIOS (IRE) (c, 2, Galileo {Ire}--Polished Gem {Ire} {Broodmare of the Year-Ire}, by Danehill) was bustled along in snatches throughout this extended one-mile slog in deep mud. Rousted into third turning for home, the 9-4 second choice kept on resolutely under unrelenting pressure in the straight to nail Lifetime Legend (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}) by 3/4-of-a-length in the final strides. "He's not that much of a worker at home and he took a bit of stoking up there," said, understated...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Insights features a full-brother to 2019 G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For a Song (ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 4.00 Galway, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, 8f 123yT KYPRIOS (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is the latest Ballydoyle trainee to represent the partnership of Moyglare Stud Farm, Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor and...