Familiar names eye up mid-week feature races at the 2025 Galway Festival
Thursday, July 17, 2025
The Joseph O'Brien-trained Nurburgring could bid for a rare Galway Festival double after his success under JJ Slevin in last year's Guinness Galway Hurdle as he heads the entries for the Tote Galway Plate on Wednesday, July 30. Photo: Patrick McCann/Racing Post
A host of familiar names feature among the initial entries for the Tote Galway Plate and Guinness Galway Hurdle, the mid-week feature races at the Galway Festival which begins on Monday, July 28.
Last year’s Guinness Galway Hurdle winner Nurburgring could bid for a remarkable Festival double as he heads the 32 entries for the Tote Galway Plate on Wednesday, July 30. If successful, the Joseph O'Brien-trained five-year-old would become the first horse since Galway legend Ansar to win both races. He won the Hurdle in 2001 and the Plate in 2004 and 2005.
O'Brien has also entered the smart Common Practice which counts the Grade 3 Pierce Molony Memorial Novice Chase at Thurles in March among his five career victories.
The Cheltenham Festival winner Jazzy Matty has been entered by trainer Cian Collins with Jesse Evans entered by Noel Meade, trainer of last year’s winner Pinkerton and the 2014 scorer Road To Riches.
Numerically, Gordon Elliott is out on his own with 10 entries including last year’s second and third, Duffle Coat and Zanahiyr, top-mare Shecouldbeanything and the clear-cut McHale Mayo National Handicap Chase winner Western Fold.
Arctic Fly, Blood Destiny and Olympic Man are three of Willie Mullins’ seven entries, while Henry de Bromhead has entered his Kilmurray's Homevalue Hardware Mullingar Midlands National winner Amirite, with Cheltenham Festival runners-up Anyway and Thecompanysergeant there for Ken Budds and Gavin Cromwell respectively.
The Gordon Elliott-trained Ndaawi, runner-up in last year’s race, is one of 30 entries for the 2025 renewal of the Guinness Galway Hurdle on Thursday, July 31. Also second home in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, he is one of four horses entered by Elliott along with Relieved Of Duties and the more recent winners Casheldale Lad and Bowensonfire.
Willie Mullins has made seven entries for the race with the notable Fairyhouse winners Tounsivator and Blue Lemons, last year’s fourth Winter Fog, and the two-time Grade 3 novice hurdle winner Gaucher among them. A trio for the Joseph O'Brien stable is headed by the Cheltenham Festival winner Puturhandstogether.
Three trainers have made two entries each. Jessie Evans, twice a runner-up in the race, and the Group 1 Flat scorer Helvic Dream have been entered by Noel Meade while Gavin Cromwell’s hopefuls are the Grade 1 Dublin Racing Festival scorer Hello Neighbour and Addragoole. Royal Hollow, a winner at the Killarney July Festival, and Sunchart are Andy Slattery’s pair.
There are two entries from across the Irish Sea with Fergal O’Brien’s six-time winner Dysart Enos and the Jonjo and AJ O’Neill-trained Wilful, a runner-up at the Punchestown Festival, both engaged. Harry Rogers’ admirable veteran Lord Erskine and the Barry Connell-trained Enniskerry also catch the eye.
Click here to view the entries for the Tote Galway Plate
Click here to view the entries for the Guinness Galway Hurdle
Last year’s Guinness Galway Hurdle winner Nurburgring could bid for a remarkable Festival double as he heads the 32 entries for the Tote Galway Plate on Wednesday, July 30. If successful, the Joseph O'Brien-trained five-year-old would become the first horse since Galway legend Ansar to win both races. He won the Hurdle in 2001 and the Plate in 2004 and 2005.
O'Brien has also entered the smart Common Practice which counts the Grade 3 Pierce Molony Memorial Novice Chase at Thurles in March among his five career victories.
The Cheltenham Festival winner Jazzy Matty has been entered by trainer Cian Collins with Jesse Evans entered by Noel Meade, trainer of last year’s winner Pinkerton and the 2014 scorer Road To Riches.
Numerically, Gordon Elliott is out on his own with 10 entries including last year’s second and third, Duffle Coat and Zanahiyr, top-mare Shecouldbeanything and the clear-cut McHale Mayo National Handicap Chase winner Western Fold.
Arctic Fly, Blood Destiny and Olympic Man are three of Willie Mullins’ seven entries, while Henry de Bromhead has entered his Kilmurray's Homevalue Hardware Mullingar Midlands National winner Amirite, with Cheltenham Festival runners-up Anyway and Thecompanysergeant there for Ken Budds and Gavin Cromwell respectively.
The Gordon Elliott-trained Ndaawi, runner-up in last year’s race, is one of 30 entries for the 2025 renewal of the Guinness Galway Hurdle on Thursday, July 31. Also second home in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, he is one of four horses entered by Elliott along with Relieved Of Duties and the more recent winners Casheldale Lad and Bowensonfire.
Willie Mullins has made seven entries for the race with the notable Fairyhouse winners Tounsivator and Blue Lemons, last year’s fourth Winter Fog, and the two-time Grade 3 novice hurdle winner Gaucher among them. A trio for the Joseph O'Brien stable is headed by the Cheltenham Festival winner Puturhandstogether.
Three trainers have made two entries each. Jessie Evans, twice a runner-up in the race, and the Group 1 Flat scorer Helvic Dream have been entered by Noel Meade while Gavin Cromwell’s hopefuls are the Grade 1 Dublin Racing Festival scorer Hello Neighbour and Addragoole. Royal Hollow, a winner at the Killarney July Festival, and Sunchart are Andy Slattery’s pair.
There are two entries from across the Irish Sea with Fergal O’Brien’s six-time winner Dysart Enos and the Jonjo and AJ O’Neill-trained Wilful, a runner-up at the Punchestown Festival, both engaged. Harry Rogers’ admirable veteran Lord Erskine and the Barry Connell-trained Enniskerry also catch the eye.
Click here to view the entries for the Tote Galway Plate
Click here to view the entries for the Guinness Galway Hurdle
