Galway Racecourse is one of the most culturally iconic sporting venues in Ireland. Racing first took place there in 1869 and in modern times, the races take place in three individual clusters in July/August, September and October for a total of 12 race days.

It is the seven-day Galway Festival in July/August that has grown into one of the most celebrated racing festivals anywhere in the world. Over 140,000 people throng through the turnstiles over the course of the week and the social aspect of the meeting is legendary. The Festival is made up of primarily below-average but ultra-competitive racing on the Flat and under National Hunt rules, with the Galway Hurdle (now the most valuable National Hunt race in Ireland) and the Galway Plate taking centre stage. The betting markets at the Galway Festival are stronger than anywhere else in Irish racing and the battles between the bookmakers and punters have produced no shortage of legendary tales.