Galway Day One: Top Trainer, Jockey, and Owner to Watch

The Galway Races festival swings into action on Monday evening, with the first of seven days of action from Ballybrit as the annual jamboree at the western outpost begins.

Ahead of day one, which is a mixed card featuring Flat and jumps racing, we have picked out a trainer, jockey and owner worth watching out for at the Galway Races on Monday.

Trainer - Gordon Elliott

Though Willie Mullins has dominated at Ballybrit and is aiming to be leading trainer at the Galway Races for the tenth year in a row, his long-time title rival Gordon Elliott has a fine array of contenders to go to war with on day one.

The Cullentra handler had eight winners at this track in 2024 and 14 more placed runners from his 53 attempts.

He fires two in the opening Galway Bay Hotel & The Galmont Hotel Novice Hurdle, with Jack Kennedy on Cork maiden winner Eternal Echo and John Williamson on Chortal though Mullins' Davy Crockett casts a long shadow over the contest.

Lygon Lad has an outsiders' chance in the handicap hurdle that follows, while Elliott will have strong hopes that Familiar Dreams can play a big role in the Connacht Hotel Handicap over 2m1f in the hands of Williamson given his proven stamina and handicapping scope.

He could be Elliott's best chance, while the likes of Coutach in the concluding bumper is another likely improver on second start.

Jockey - Dylan Browne McMonagle

Rider Dylan Browne McMonagle will be hoping to have a better day at Galway on Monday than his Donegal footballing peers endured on Sunday in Croke Park in the All-Ireland Final.

His position riding for Joseph O'Brien should ensure he's got plenty of ammunition across the week and the talented pilot starts with a trio of interesting mounts.

He rides Spangled Sands in the Eventus Irish EBF Maiden over the 7f trip that presents as the first race of the meeting on the Flat.

The €130,000 son of Starspangledbanner is a full-brother to Symbolize, who excelled at this trip, and is one to note in a contest where Constitution River sets a very solid bar. Honeysuckle Rose is a filly with scope for improvement in handicaps after running well at Gowran Park (7f, soft) last month from an opening mark of 80 in a contest that favoured frontrunners. The Bated Breath filly could do better in the Clayton Hotel Galway Handicap.

McMonagle closes his evening on Bear Creek a colt by Sottsass who thrived for a step up to 1m5f when scoring at Down Royal 10 days ago and could have plenty scope for better, despite the attentions of the handicapper requiring him to defy a 10lb ratings-rise now.

Owner - Act D Wagg Syndicate

The Act D Wagg Syndicate has just one runner on the card, but it could be a notable one as Rakki starts out for champion trainer Willie Mullins in the Iggy Daly Easyfix Handicap Hurdle.

The ex-Alan King-trained son of Sea The Stars is still a maiden but has shown ability both on the Flat and over hurdles in Britain. He starts life in handicaps for the Closutton chief off a mark of 105 and could be let in easy, with Paul Townend booked to steer.

This ownership group - made up of Aine Casey, Gillian Walsh, Aisling Gannon and Tamso Doyle - don't have a lot of horses, but they do have a tendency to target Galway, with four winners and three more in the frame from eight previous runners at the track helping pocket then north of €248,000 in prize mone - having enjoyed many great days with Clondaw Warrior.

Whether Rakki has the ability to emulate that three-time Galway scorer and superb servant remains to be seen, but he could make a splash on his stable bow.