Galway Races Summer Festival 2026

Seven days. Over 50 races. One packed racecourse in the west of Ireland. The Galway Races Summer Festival is one of the racing highlights in Ireland, and it's back at Ballybrit from today, Monday the 27th July and ends on Sunday 2nd August!

What's the big deal?

Galway Races is a full week out with big hats, bigger crowds, and a genuinely electric atmosphere at Ballybrit, just outside Galway city. Tens of thousands of racegoers pile in across the seven days, and the racing itself doesn't mess about either, with both Flat and National Hunt action on the card.

The two races everyone's talking about

2 of the 50+ races stand out this week with The Galway Plate being the big one. With a brutal 2m6f chase over 14 fences that's produced some proper photo finishes over the years. Then there's the Galway Hurdle, a valuable handicap hurdle that always pulls a stacked, competitive field. If you only watch two races all festival, make it these.

Watching from home

No ticket for Ballybrit? No problem. If you're not watching it on TV, there are several Irish online casinos and betting sites that stream the Galway Races live to anyone with a funded account or a recent bet, so you can catch every race without paying for a separate subscription.

How to bet on Galway Races online

Betting on the Galway Races is easier than you'd think. Sign up with a licensed Irish bookmaker, top up your account, and head to the horse racing section to find the Galway meeting. From there you can back the outright winner, go each way, or try your luck with forecasts and combination bets.

Not sure what each-way means? It splits your stake in two: half goes on the horse to win, half on it to place. So a 5 each-way bet puts €2.50 on the win and €2.50 on it placing, with payout terms depending on the race and field size. It's a smart way to bet on tricky, wide-open handicaps like the Plate and the Hurdle, where picking the outright winner is anyone's guess.

Ready to bet on it?

Bet365 has odds on every race this week, Galway Plate included, plus in-play betting so you can back a horse once the race is underway.