
Will Reilly looks ahead to a week of racing that includes the Galway Festival and Glorious Goodwood
This week’s racing features two of racing’s great festivals, the Galway Festival, which runs from Monday to Sunday, and the ‘Glorious’ Goodwood Festival, which runs from Tuesday to Saturday.
Here are some key elements to this week’s cards, starting with Galway.
Galway Races
Monday, 5:20pm – Two hurdle races, four flat races and a bumper; the feature on a card carrying €228,500 in prize-money is the €120,000 Connacht Hotel (QR) Handicap (2m179y, 4yo+)
Tuesday, 5:20pm – One hurdle, one chase and five flat races on a card carrying €256,000 in prize-money; the key races are:
- €120,000 COLM QUINN BMW Mile Handicap (8f123y, 7:40pm, 3yo+)
- €50,000 COLM QUINN BMW Novice Hurdle (Listed, 2m110y, 4yo+)
Wednesday, 5:10pm – Three hurdle races, three flat races and the feature, the €300,000 thetote.com Galway Plate (H’cap ‘Chase, 2m6f111y, 4yo+, 7:20pm); in total, €436,000 is on offer on the card
Thursday, 2pm – €506,000 is on offer on a card that contains two chases, two hurdle races, three flat races and a bumper; the most-valuable contests are as follows:
- 2:35pm: €50,000 Grade 3 Guinness Open Gate Brewery Novice ‘Chase (2m2f54y, 4yo+)
- 3:45pm: €60,000 Arthur Guinness Irish EBF Corrib Fillies Stakes (Listed, 7f, 3yo+)
- 4:55pm: €300,000 Guinness Galway Hurdle Handicap (2m11y, 4yo+)

Willie Mullins is hot favourite to be leading trainer at the Galway Festival
Friday, 5:10pm – €354,000 is on offer on a card that contains one hurdle, one chase and five flat races; the most-valuable contests are as follows:
- 5:10pm: €80,000 Guinness Galway Tribes Handicap Hurdle (2m11y, 4yo+)
- 6:15pm: €80,000 Guinness Galway Blazers Handicap ‘Chase (2m6f111y, 4yo+)
- 6:50pm: €120,000 Guinness Handicap (12f, 3yo+)
Saturday, 2pm – €243,000 is on offer on a card that contains two hurdle races, five flat races and a bumper; the feature race is the €120,000 Galway Shopping Centre Handicap Hurdle (2m6f168y, 4yo+)
Sunday, 2:15pm –The curtain comes down on the 2019 Festival with a card containing two hurdle races, three flat races, two chases and a bumper; the most-valuable races on a card carrying €286,000 in prize-money, are:
- 3:55pm: €120,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF ‘Ahonoora’ Handicap (7f, 3yo+)
- 5pm: €40,000 Lord Hemphill Memorial Handicap ‘Chase (2m2f54y, 4yo+)
Goodwood
Tuesday, 1:50pm – £1.155million is on offer as the festival begins; the most-valuable races are:
- 1:50pm: £75,000 Unibet Handicap (1m1f197y, 4yo+)
- 2:25pm: £200,000 Group 2 Qatar Vintage Stakes (2yo, 7f)
- 3pm: £300,000 Group 2 Qatar Lennox Stakes (3yo+, 7f)
- 3:35pm: £500,000 Group 1 Qatar Goodwood Cup 3yo+, 2 miles), in which Stradivarius will be looking for a third-successive win in the contest

Stradivarius will be looking for a third-successive win in the Goodwood Cup
Wednesday, 1:50pm – £1.305million is on offer on a card that features the £1million Group 1 Qatar Sussex Stakes (3:35pm, 3yo+, one mile); the other Group race on the card is the £75,000 Group 3 Markel Insurance Molecomb Stakes (3pm, 2yo, 5f)
Thursday, 1:50pm – £1.125million is on offer on a card that features the £600,000 Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes for fillies and mares (3:35pm, 3yo+, 1m1f197y); the other Group races on the card are as follows:
- 2:25pm: £200,000 Group 2 Qatar Richmond Stakes for colts and geldings (6f, 2yo)
- 3pm: £175,000 Group 3 Gordon Stakes (3yo, 1m3f218y)
Friday, 1:50pm – £780,000 is on offer on a card that features the £300,000 Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes (3:35pm, 3yo+, 5f); the other Group races on the card are as follows:
- 1:50pm: £80,000 Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes for fillies and mares (3yo+, 7f)
- 2:25pm: £100,000 Group 3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes (3yo, one mile)
- 4:40pm: £100,000 Group 3 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Glorious Stakes (4yo+, 1m3f218y)
Also on the card is the £150,000 Unibet Golden Mile (3pm, one mile, 3yo+)
Saturday, 1:50pm – £910,000 is on offer on a card that includes the following races:
- 1:50pm: £75,000 Qatar Stewards’ Sprint Handicap (Consolation Race for the Stewards’ Cup, 6f, 3yo+)
- 2:25pm: £100,000 Qatar Summer Handicap (3yo+, 1m6f)
- 3pm: £300,000 Group 2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes for fillies and mares (3yo+, 1m6f)
- 3:35pm: £250,000 Unibet Stewards’ Cup (Heritage Handicap, 6f, 3yo+)
Some key racing in Britain this week away from the Goodwood Festival:
Monday 29 July
Windsor, 5pm – The £75,000 Sprint Series Finale at 7:50pm (3yo+, 6f)
Wednesday 31 July
Perth, 2pm – There are two £14,000 races on the card
Sandown, 5:35pm – There are two £15,000 handicaps on the card, run over distances of one mile and 14 furlongs
Thursday 1 Aug
Epsom, 5:$5pm – There is a £15,000 7f handicap at 7:30pm
Friday 2 Aug
Newmarket, 5:20pm – There is a £14,000 6f handicap at 8:30pm
Saturday 3 Aug
Thirsk, 1:45pm – A card that features the £30,000 Summer Cup (8f, 3yo+, 4pm) and also contains a £20,000 7f handicap (3yo+, 3:25pm)
Newmarket, 2:05pm – A card that starts with a £40,000 Listed Race (3yo+, 12f) and also contains a £40,000 6f fillies’ nursery at 2:40pm
Hamilton, 5:50pm – A card that features the £18,000 Soba Conditions Stakes race (3yo+, 7:20pm)
They also race on Saturday at Chelmsford (1:40pm) and Lingfield (4:55pm)
Sunday 4 Aug
Market Rasen (1:50pm) – A National Hunt card
Chester (2pm) – A card that features a £37,000 Listed Race (3:10pm, 3yo+, 6f) and contains a £19,000 2yo race (6f, 4:15pm)