Kilbeggan Races set to host Galway Plate trial on Monday
The Galway Races is synonymous with great summer racing, and people set aside the week as they look forward to the races and all the fun and entertainment that goes with it.
Next Monday June 17, Kilbeggan will link up with the Galway executive with a trial race for the Galway Plate that could give a great insight to the big race. The fixture commences at 6pm with seven races.
Paddy Dunican, Manager said: “Galway Races are celebration their 150th Summer Festival this year, we are honoured to be part of their celebration with Galway Race Committee sponsoring the Galway Plate Trial Handicap Steeplechase of €30,000 at our race meeting on Monday June 17 next.
“We are delighted that Galway Race Committee have chosen Kilbeggan to stage one of the two qualifying races for the tote.com Galway Plate of €300,000, which is the richest steeplechase of the summer racing season.”
The Kilbeggan trial will be just under two miles, four furlongs and another trial race will be held in Limerick in July. The winners of these two races will now obtain an automatic place in thetote.com Galway Plate, provided that these horses are within the Handicap. This is an exciting development and should guarantee a great race.
The first ever winner of the Galway Plate 150 years ago was Absentee, owned by the Bell family and many great Galway Plate winners ran in Kilbeggan from the legendary great Clonsheever (winner in 1923/24), Privit (1917), to Midland’s National winner Rockholm Boy in 2002, when trained by the great Michael Hourigan.
With over €110,000 in prize money at this meeting and the sponsored Carmel Way Novice Chase of €15,000 it looks like an evening of great racing.
Interestingly, a number of good novice chasers have raced in Kilbeggan recently. At the last meeting, Willie Mullins’ Robin De Carlow won the novice chase easily (he had won a listed and Grade 3 hurdle race) and looks very useful.
The first race was won by Paddy Buns at 50/1 with Kevin Brouder his jockey getting a spare ride and he had only been bought by the owners a few weeks before.
The well-bred expensive horse Cavalry Master (10/1), trained by Henry De Bromhead and owned by Gigginstown House, comfortably beat Willie Mullins’ favourite Think Positive in the bumper.
Admission for adults to the event is €15. OAPs and students €12, children under 16 free (free entertainment for kids). We are offering special discounts for staff, customers and friends for a group of 10 or more, Special Discounted Admission of €12 per person. We also have our Summer Party Pack which includes: admission ticket, €5 drink voucher, €5 food voucher and free race card at just €22 per person for a group of 10 or more.
Book now at www.kilbegganraces.com. It looks like an interesting evening of racing, and don’t forget that it begins at 6pm next Monday.