Galway Festival Preview

Hi all,

Inside today’s main piece I’m looking back at Saturday’s big race action. I’m also previewing the big race on Day 1 of the Galway Festival. So, it’s a bumper Monday article with plenty to get stuck into.

O’Brien’s Tactical Misfire Hands King George to Calandagan

It was 50 years to the day since Grundy and Bustino fought out the finish of the King George VI. That epic duel might have been the “race of the century”, but it effectively finished both horses.

Fast-forward to Saturday’s Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot — a very different contest. Just five runners, but the sort of high-class race you could watch without needing a bet. Still, there were plenty of questions to be answered.

Would Ballydoyle control the tempo of the race for Jan Brueghel? Had Calandagan really turned a corner? Would Kalpana cope with the ground? And could Rebel’s Romance finally land a domestic Group 1 at seven?

Jan Brueghel went forward, with Continuous — expected to lead — held in second. The early pace was steady, and allowed Continuous to still be in contention turning in.

Kalpana made a smooth move three furlongs out. She ranged up on the outside and swept to the front with two furlongs to run. She quickly went a couple of lengths clear. For a moment, it looked like she might have pinched it. But Calandagan dug in and reeled her in close home to win by a length.

Rebel’s Romance got caught in a pocket two furlongs out. He’d have finished closer than the 3½ lengths he was beaten in third, but he wasn’t winning.

As for Jan Brueghel, the front-running tactics backfired. He looked one-paced once headed, and I’m not convinced he liked the faster ground — quicker than the advertised “good”.

Classy Calandagan Rules the King George

Calandagan has turned a corner. But this was a modestly run race, and the best horse on the day — with the turn of foot and proven ground form came out on top.

Kalpana ran a cracker in second. The ground was plenty quick enough, but she showed a fine attitude. No surprise she’s now Arc favourite. Connections have a big day ahead in Paris if conditions come right.

King George VI 2025 Verdict:

Aidan O’Brien got the tactics badly wrong. Instead of Continuous making the running, it was Jan Brueghel who led. But what was needed was a ride like Lester Piggott gave Teenoso in 1984 — relentless gallop, stretch them out early, make it a war. You can see what I mean here.

Instead, they crawled. A steady early pace handed the race to the one with the best turn of foot. That was Calandagan. Jan Brueghel is a galloper, a potential Cup horse, not one to quicken off a crawl.

It was a repeat of Royal Ascot. In the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, they went too hard from the front and set it up for a closer. Here, they went too slow and gave the race away.

Before wrapping up King George VI Day, a word for Hugo Palmer. He landed both Group 3s on the card with Fitzella and Cheshire Dancer. A good training effort that will be lost due to the big race taking all the headlines.

Royal Champion Rules at York

York’s Group 2 Sky Bet Stakes saw Royal Champion upset hot favourite Almaqam. Having made all to beat Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard, it was strange to see the favourite dropped right out this time.

Almaqam made a move under pressure and looked a danger 1f out, but Royal Champion was absolutely tanking. Once the button was pushed, the race was over. A comprehensive success.

It was a disappointing run from Almaqam. Tactically wrong. Maybe he needs softer ground. Maybe he’s just not as good as connections thought. I’ll be kind and give him one more chance on a softer surface—but only one.

As for the winner, he’s a bit all-or-nothing. When he’s good, he’s very good. York brought out his best—but backing it up next time is far from guaranteed.

Elmonjed Delivers in the Sky Bet Dash

Elsewhere on the York card, Elmonjed landed the valuable Sky Bet Dash Handicap. That’s his second win over York’s 6f and now he’s back in winning form, he’ll remain dangerous in big-field sprint handicaps on good or quicker ground. I think the form of the race will work out well and there's six or seven that finished behind the winner who are worth adding to the tracker for future races.

Thankfully, I was on Elmonjed, and after recent struggles, it was vital to get a winner on the board before Goodwood and Galway. Still, the day could’ve been better. Air Force One—who I really fancied for the Jump Jockeys Nunthorpe—won well, but sadly I left the race alone due to his stall in 15. I’m kicking myself. Hopefully, some of you ignored my doubts and backed him anyway.

It’s been a tough few months punting-wise. Things haven’t gone my way. It happens. It’s part of the game. But Saturday felt like a small turning point. I’m hopeful I’m about to hit form—just in time for Glorious Goodwood.

That said, the waiting really does your head in. And your wallet.

Galway Festival 2025

The Galway Festival blends six days of racing with six days of the “craic”. If we’re honest, six is too many. It seems to go on for ever. Most of the races aren’t really worthy of the ‘festival’ tag – even if it does stage Europe’s most valuable handicap hurdle, the Guinness-sponsored Galway Hurdle.

It’s an even more diluted festival than Goodwood and that’s saying something. When you're up against trainers trying to deceive the handicapper in races leading up to the meeting, you have to tip your hat to someone who can make a profit from the six days at Galway.

But that’s not the point. The Galway Festival is more than a race meeting. It’s arguably the biggest social and cultural event in the west of Ireland.

This year’s action at the Galway Festival gets underway at 5:10pm on Monday with a mixed National Hunt and Flat card. The feature on a seven-race evening card is the Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap for amateur riders. With €64,900 going to the winner, it always attracts a maximum field and fierce competition.

Galway Track Overview

Galway is a right-handed, undulating, and sharp track. The circuit measures 10 furlongs, and the Flat, Hurdle and Chase courses share similar attributes. The Hurdle course sits inside the Chase track, making it tighter and sharper.

From the final bend to the line, there’s climb—turning many races into stamina tests, especially on testing ground.

On the Flat, prominent racers are favoured, particularly in races over 7f and 1m. That front-running edge fades in the longer-distance races.

Over hurdles, front runners often dominate in 2m contests, but it’s tougher to make all over further. Still, the tight nature of the track, the short run-ins, and the usual big fields mean you don’t want your horse held up too far off the pace.

The Chase course is similar to the Hurdles course. In shorter distance races with small fields, front-runners can be hard to peg bac and again being too far back is usually fatal in the big field races.

Trainers & Jockeys

Given the nature of the track, it’s fair to say that previous form at Galway is useful, particularly on the Flat course.

If Galway is a “specialist” track for horses, it’s also one for jockeys. Delving into horseracebase.

One jockey who has excelled at the Galway Festival in recent season’s is Shane Foley.  With 22 winners he’s the leading jockey at the Galway Festival since 2018.

Seventeen of those 22 winners have come when combining with Jessica Harrington.

Jessican Harrington has had 19 winners at the Galway Festival since 2018 putting her two ahead of Aidan O’Brien as leading trainer.  It’s clear Jessica can be guaranteed to have her runners primed for the meeting.

Looking beyond the big-name trainers here are four who have plenty of winners at the Galway Festival in recent seasons but have gone slightly under the radar as far as the betting market is concerned.

I’ll be looking at for their runners with interest over the six days. For anyone interested there are four qualifiers on Monday.

I will probably have a few quid on all four at Betfair SP for the “craic”.

Monday’s Racing

6:40 – Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap

Back to Monday’s big race at the Galway Festival the Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap. Twenty runners head to post for Monday’s feature – a valuable and fiercely competitive staying handicap for amateur jockeys. Willie Mullins has trained five of the last ten winners and once again holds a strong hand.

Mullins Team: Two Chances

Willie Mullins runs just two this year — Too Bossy For Us and Plontier. All signs point to the former as the number one hope, with Patrick Mullins in the saddle. A solid 2nd of 25 at the Curragh last month, he proved his stamina for two miles there. That was his flat debut for the yard after showing useful form in Britain. A first-time hood could eke out more, and he should be thereabouts.

War Rooms Steps Up

War Rooms ran better than the bare result in the Duke of Edinburgh Handicap (1m 4f) at Royal Ascot. He stayed on from too far back to finish a 7 lengths 7th of 18. He stays 1m 6f and this step up to two miles could unlock more improvement. One to watch.

Emmet Mullins Trio

Emmet Mullins runs three – The Shunter, Filey Bay, and Toll Stone. The last two appeal most.

Toll Stone shaped with promise over hurdles earlier this month after seven months off. He was second in a Naas Premier Handicap over two miles last October and handles cut in the ground. he’s handicapped to win a nice staying pot for a trainer who won this race in 2023.

Filey Bay hadn’t been seen in 21 months before finishing 14th at the Curragh — a race where Too Bossy For Us was second. He should come on for that and remains with potential on the flat (just five starts).

Mon Coeur a Dark Horse

Mon Coeur finished 11th behind Too Bossy For Us at the Curragh, last time but that didn’t tell the full story. He was caught too far back on a day when you wanted to be handy. He’s better than that. His last win came at this meeting in 2023 on soft ground. Trainer Joseph G Murphy has a strong Galway Festival record — 6 winners from 33 runners since 2018 (+26.88) — and won this race in 2016.

Fairbanks was disappointing on the flat at Royal Ascot two starts back. A useful middle distance handicapper last season for Andrew Balding. He would have a chance on his UK form, and his trainer had a big priced runner-up in last year’s race. Can’t be totally dismissed.

In tomorrow’s column I will be looking at the start of Glorious Goodwood.

Good luck with your Monday bets.

John