Four trainers to watch at Galway Races: 'A great chance in the Galway Mile with Loughrea'

The Galway Festival is upon us again this year, and here are just some trainers to keep an eye on for this year's festival.

Although Galway is extremely tough and there is a will to win like no other festival we have in Ireland, we have top-class owners, trainers, horses and jockeys throughout the six days.

There'll be the highs, lows, sadness, despair, happiness and ecstasy, but that's what makes the Galway Festival. The importance of track position, the importance of what stall you break from, but all that matters is who puts their head down on the line. Here's a look at four trainers who look set to have a big week in the west.

Dermot Weld

The man is notorious for his success around the world, but in Galway his horses just have that winning habit. Since 2020, he has had 11 winners at the track, including Tahiyra, who went on to win the Irish 1,000 Guineas and the Coronation Stakes.

Dermot's horses have been in relatively consistent form all season, but definitely in the build-up to Galway we have seen the level pick up. He had his first two-year-old winner on Oaks weekend, which is a good pointer for Galway, as he admitted in the aftermath that he had a few nice horses still to debut.

Ado McGuinness

Next up we have Ado McGuinness. It's hard to think the Galway Festival would go ahead if Ado McGuinness and his team were not there. They have had some good years down in Ballybrit, especially for the Dooley Thoroughbreds Syndicate.

Since 2020, Ado and his team have enjoyed six successful wins at the Galway Festival, and we can be sure that more will occur this coming week. Ado enjoyed success during the week at Naas Racecourse with Eddie G and he looks to have a superb chance with Pierre Royal, who is currently favourite for the Galway Mile.

He was impressive on his last start in the Curragh, being supported from 33/1 into 11/1, and looks a high-class horse still.

Andy Slattery

The Andy Slattery team is growing and expanding each day. They enjoyed their first Grade 1 over fences this season and, from the beginning of the Flat season, they took it by storm.

Numerous interviews have allowed Andy Slattery to discuss how his yard have managed to keep nice horses, and they have begun a transition from a selling yard to one competing at the top table.

Their most recent success was Gomez Adams in the bumper last year. Andy has enjoyed seven wins there since 2020, and it looks like he will have a great chance in the Galway Mile with Loughrea who is an improving three-year-old with two victories on the bounce. The beauty of being a dual-purpose trainer on a weekend like this is your chances in both codes, and this makes an operation like Andy Slattery's so successful, as they can bring in owners with a dream of Galway runners and nearly ensure them that their horses will turn up on the day, whether it's on the Flat, over hurdles or fences.

The importance of mixed cards makes the week in Galway so special.

Ross O'Sullivan

Ross O'Sullivan made the Galway Festival his own in 2025 with four winners from just six runners, which is just the most remarkable feat.

He has enjoyed another fine season, with the most noticeable victory coming at the Punchestown Festival, where Raise You Up captured the Connolly's RED MILLS Auction Series Final.

With five victories at the Galway Festival since 2020, Ross O'Sullivan will be hoping for another 2025 Festival performance. Ross's horses have been a model of consistency all season, whether that be on the Flat or over obstacles.

Assistant trainer Tom Harney has added another element to the classy outfit, and they are starting to establish themselves as a top outfit in Irish racing, which is great to see. Ross is very good for giving jockeys opportunities, and this has been seen to fruition with Shane Markey, who is growing in confidence and is a jockey to look out for this week.