Galway Festival day one: Betting tips and race rundown

The Irish Sun

28-07-2025

THE world-famous seven-day Galway Festival kicks off its marathon with a seven-race card which includes the lucrative Connacht Hotel Handicap for amateur jockeys.
Before we get onto the flagship race on day one of the Galway Festival, Willie Mullins looks set to unleash a potential star in the impeccably bred Davy Crockett.
🏇 Quick Galway Festival day one tips
Win singles & each way
5:10 Galway Bay Hotel & The Galmont Hotel Novice Hurdle:
5:40 Iggy Daly Easyfix Handicap Hurdle:
6:10 Eventus Irish EBF Maiden:
6:40 Connacht Hotel Handicap:
7:15 Clayton Hotel Galway Handicap:
7:50 GRA Chocolates Handicap:
8:20 Monami Construction Flat Race:
5:10 Galway Bay Hotel & The Galmont Hotel Novice Hurdle - 2m½f
The former Aidan O'Brien-trained Ephesus has made a fair fist at hurdling since switching to the Denis Hogan yard. From his six starts, he has won one and run as well as can be expected in Grade 2 and Grade 1 company. He will find this a lot easier than what he faced when unseated at the last behind Lulamba at the Punchestown Festival, and has his chance.
Recent hurdle winner Mick Collins looks set to play his role here, but the standout entry must be the impeccable bred
DAVY CROCKETT
. By dual Derby winner Camelot out of Champion Hurdler Annie Power, Davy Crockett, on breeding alone, looks destined for great things.
He comes here on the back of a facile bumper win at Punchestown in June, and should his jumping be more than adequate, this should be the start of an exciting road for this four-year-old hurdler.
2024 Winner:
Feud
J
: Danny Mullins –
T
: Richard O'Brien
Odds
: 16/5
Our pick: DAVY CROCKETT
Trainer:
Willie Mullins
Jockey:
Mark Walsh
Form:
1
Age:
4
Weight:
11st 0lb
➡️
5:40 Iggy Daly Easyfix Handicap Hurdle (4yo+) – 2m½f
Last year's first and second look set to clash again. Son Of Hypnos had Clonbury Bridge (won this in 2021) ten lengths behind him last year, but the Kevin Smith runner has failed to get anywhere near the heights of that win since. He's six pounds higher than he was for winning this last year, and your hopes will be relying on a return to Galway sparking him back into form.
Half A Chance would have just that should the application of first-time cheekpieces have the desired effect for a trainer who tends to target the Galway Festival. However, this could be blown apart by the Willie Mullins-trained
RAKKI
. Formerly trained in the UK by Alan King, Rakki makes his first appearance for Willie Mullins in a handicap off bottom weight. Bar a plip at Warwick, his other two hurdle runs in the UK are not bad runs at all.
The last of his hurdle runs for Alan King is working out well, with the winner going on to win again. The second, Liam Swagger, has since gone on to finish third in the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival. Rakki's new owners know what it is like to have a winner at the Galway Festival, and their latest recruit can be the latest to add to their Galway success. Others to note from an each-way standpoint are Metamorphous, who ran well off a seven-pound higher mark on his only visit to Galway, and the inform Jerrari.
2024 Winner:
Son Of Hypnos
J
: James Smith –
T
: Kevin Michael Smith
Odds
: 16/1
Our pick: RAKKI
Trainer:
Willie Mullins
Jockey:
Paul Townend
Form:
353-
Age:
4
Weight:
11st 3lb
➡️
6:10 Eventus Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden (2yo) - 7f
Given that Dermot Weld always has one laid out to make their debut in this race every year, Masaban must be given the highest respect. However, the son of Siyouni and the rest of the field will need to be well above average to get the better of Aidan O'Brien's
CONSTITUTION RIVER
.
The son of Wootton Bassett comes in here on the back of a short-head defeat on his racecourse debut at Newmarket (over three lengths clear of third). With the expected normal improvement from first to second run, it's hard to see Constitution River not making the most of his experience to get off the mark here.
2024 Winner:
Rock Of Cashel
– J:
Wayne Lordan
– T:
Aidan O'Brien
- Odds:
3/1
Our pick: CONSTITUTION RIVER
Trainer:
Aidan O'Brien
Jockey:
Wayne Lordan
Form:
2
Age:
2
Weight:
9st 5lb
➡️
6:40 Connacht Hotel (Q.R) Handicap (4yo+ 70-100) - 2m1f
The Mullins' have a stranglehold on this race, with them winning seven of the last eight runnings. Patrick Mullins finally won the Connacht Hotel Handicap back in 2022 when patterning the classy mare Echos To Rain to victory. This year, he gets the leg up on Too Bossy For Us, who comes here on the back of a second-place finish to his stablemate Lot Of Joy in the Irish EBF Stayers Handicap.
He was sent off the well-supported favourite on the day, and it looks set that his supporters will be back to try to make up for their Curragh losses. He has his chance off a three-pound higher mark, and now wears a hood for the first time, but being drawn 20 of 20 puts a bit of a dampener on his chances. There is every chance that he could get lit up if Patrick Mullins can't get him covered up early on. Filey Bay got one of those 'I could be about to come back into form' rides at the Curragh, and he should be monitored in the betting, especially from a favourable draw.
However, the one that looks to have been laid out for this is last year's Hop House 13 Handicap winner,
TOLL STONE
. He defied the dreaded stall 20 when winning last year, and he pulled miles clear with the runner-up Mr Percy, who has gone on to win a Grade 2 novice hurdle and, most recently, the Ebor trial at the Curragh. Toll Stone hasn't been seen on the flat since his second to Comfort Zone at Naas, but given his owners' love of having Galway Festival winners, he is sure to be primed for this. As we saw with his win last season, a high draw will hold no fears, and this Emmet Mullins runner looks set to put up a bold showing.
2024 Winner:
Sirius
– J:
Mr D H Dunsdon
– T:
Willie Mullins-
Odds:
50/1
Our pick: TOLL STONE
Trainer:
Emmet Mullins
Jockey:
Mr J L Gleeson
Form:
-/1742
Age:
5
Weight:
11st 2lb
➡️
7:15 Clayton Hotel Galway Handicap (3yo) - 7f
Aviatrice was unlucky not to get off the mark on turf when finding trouble in running at a critical stage at Leopardstown, and could well go one better here from the box seat. David Loughnane sends over It'sneverjustone, who got off the mark at the sixth time of asking when winning comfortably at Ffos Las.
He's gone up seven pounds for that win, but should have a lot more to offer on the back of that win. The Henry de Bromhead-trained Nyman needs serious consideration on the back of his second to Pier Pressure over one mile at Gowran Park on Saturday. The drop back in trip shouldn't be an issue, given the stiff finish at Galway.
However,
HIGHBURY SEE SEE
overcame greenness up the home straight at Gowran to get off the mark last month. It's clear to see that he is still learning on the job, and given that things seem to be clicking for him now, expect to see him take another step forward here with Sam Coen, who has taken off seven of the nine pounds he was raised for his win. Gangster Man and Fiona Maccoul can go well at big odds.
2024 Winner:
Artful Approach
– J:
J G Ryan
– T:
Jack Davison
– Odds:
7/1
Our pick: HIGHBURY SEE SEE
Trainer:
Andrew Slattery
Jockey:
Sam Coen (7lb)
Form:
6
5
-741
Age:
3
Weight:
9st 8lb
➡️
7:50 GRA Chocolates Handicap (3yo) - 1m4½f
Top weight Propose needs to bounce back for a poor run at Royal Ascot, but he will find this less taxing than what he faced at Ascot. Bear Creek got off the mark in his second handicap, and a ten-pound rise in the weights awaits him here. His win at Down Royal smacked of a fast improver, and is the one that is feared the most. But the one that could potentially be well ahead of his mark of 72 is fellow Joseph O'Brien-trained
DESMOND CASTLE
.
He was given one of those 'what is he doing' rides when he never got nearer than third at Limerick on his first start beyond one mile. He steps up in trip once again, and given that there is clearly a lot more ability in there than what we have seen to date, Desmond Castle can go very well here. Kilmeaden, who hung to his right on handicap debut, will appreciate racing this way and is another who could take a big step forward here.
2024 Winner:
Kentucky Gal
– J:
Rory Cleary
– T:
Anthony Mullins
- Odds:
11/1
Our pick: DESMOND CASTLE
Trainer:
Joseph O'Brien
Jockey:
Declan McDonogh
Form:
25-603
Age:
3
Weight:
8st 10lb
➡️
8:20 Monami Construction INH Flat Race – 2m½f
Newcomer Faith Of Empires is sure to know his job on debut and is feared, especially if strong support arrives for him. However, it can pay to side with experience here, and Gordon Elliott's
COUTACH
can capitalise on his experience.
He was sent off the well-backed 5/2 favourite for a bumper at the Punchestown Festival and ran a race full of promise to finish fifth. He will have learned a great deal from that experience and will be hard to beat here. Should Saint Clovis get in, he needs to be closely monitored in the market.
2024 Winner:
Delta Force
J:
Mr R W Barron
– T:
Charles Byrnes
- Odds:
11/8Fav
Our pick: COUTACH
Trainer:
Gordon Elliott
Jockey:
Mr H C Swan
Form:
5
Age:
4
Weight:
11st 10lb
➡️
🕔 Galway Festival Day One Schedule
TIME
RACE
DISTANCE
5:10
Galway Bay Hotel & The Galmont Hotel Novice Hurdle
2m½f
5:40
GRA Chocolates Handicap
2m½f
6:10
Eventus Irish EBF Maiden
7f
6:40
Connacht Hotel Handicap
2m1f
7:15
Clayton Hotel Galway Handicap
7f
7:50
GRA Choclates Handicap
1m4½f
8:20
Monami Construction INH Flat Race
2m½f
📺 How to watch day one of the Galway Festival
Location:
Ballybrit, Galway, Ireland
Date/Time:
Monday, 28th July 2025. First Race 5:10
TV/Streaming:
RTÉ2 & Racing TV
About the author
Craig Mahood
Craig Mahood is an expert in sports betting and online casinos and has worked with the company since 2020. He joined the Betting & Gaming team at The Sun in June 2022 and works closely with the leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to provide content on all areas of sports betting and gaming. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter at the Scottish Sun, covering Scottish football with particular focus on Celtic and Rangers, As well as football, he has covered horse racing, boxing, darts, the Olympics and tennis for the Sun.
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