A political angle to the racing at Ballybrit

The white flag is raised . . . and they’re off! The Galway Races are here, which means our politicians have only a few weeks of holidaying left before they start turning their attentions to the new Dáil term, where they’ll need to make an impression just a couple of years out from the General Election.  In a Galway Races special, Dara Bradley has a look at the runners and riders in the paddock, checks their ‘form’, sorts the NAPs from the no-hopers and tries to pick the winners in Galway’s two re-drawn Dáil constituencies.

The Guinness Galway West Hurdle

Always a competitive renewal, that turned into the longest marathon of a race in the country last time out with two from the Enda Kenny stable in a dead heat, and so it went to a re-run – twice.

The race now includes a chunk of South Mayo, which could attract a few ‘foreign’ entries this year but it still pays out on the first five places.

Prizemoney: Annual salary of €87,000 plus generous expenses, with possibility of Ministerial Mercs.

1)     Gaeltacht Grants ridden by Éamon Ó Cuív

A consistent sort that rewards Irish-speaking punters. Jockey has ministerial experience but is considered contrary by his owner Micheál Martin, who struggled to keep him reined in during the European Breeders Cup referendum. Failed to make the starting line in The Presidential Bumper, previous winners of which include his grandfather, Éamon De Valera. One for the short-list, and sure to start favourite but can he bring a stablemate with him as the Fianna Fáil syndicate’s stock begins to rise again?

2)   Crack a Smile ridden by Seán Kyne

Clinched fifth place last time out only after the stewards’ inquiry deliberated for five days over the three-way photo-finish where he battled it out with Shocked and Appalled, ridden by Catherine Connolly, and stable-mate Really Screams, ridden by Fidelma Healy Eames, with whom there is no love lost since. Is now the Blueshirt syndicate’s front-runner in this renewal after jumping the abortion hurdle exactly the way his trainer Enda Kenny told him to after being fitted with blinkers. Could still be vulnerable and carries a few extra pounds due to the backlash against the Government.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.