Ahead of the start of the Galway Festival next week, former top jockey Bryan Cooper has said Galway's Racing Festival is 'unique, because you can do pretty much anything you want at the event'.
Cooper, a former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner and one of racing's superstar jockeys before surprisingly retiring at the age of 30, recently spoke to BoyleSports. He expressed his excitement about the unique atmosphere at the Galway Festival, where you can pretty much do whatever you want.
Throughout the week, the festival attracts different crowds. On Monday and Tuesday, there's an older crowd, while Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday see a younger crowd eager to dress up for the event. The races, mostly jump races, start down by the front of the stands. As the week progresses, the racing start line moves, but the vibrant atmosphere always remains evident.
"I think the atmosphere there is very, very good. From Monday all the way through to Sunday, you will have a different sort of crowd. On Monday and Tuesday, you might have an older crowd and then Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, you might have the younger crowd who want to go there and get all dressed up,"said Cooper.
"A lot of the jump races start down by the front of the stands as well, as the week goes on the racing start line moves, so you always tend to start in front of the stands and you can really hear the atmosphere a lot."
Cooper also noted that many people attend Galway not just to see the horses, but also for the social side of the festival. While betting is still popular, the competitive edge is not as intense as it is in Cheltenham, Punchestown, or Aintree. However, jockeys, including Cooper, always get excited about participating in the Galway races due to the unique hype and thrill associated with winning, even in a handicap hurdle worth 100,000 euros.
🏇 GALWAY RACES MAJIC 🏇
"We do not remember the days but rather the moments" 👫#Friendships#Reunions#GalwayRaces pic.twitter.com/9LwnQuvrgn— Galway Races (@Galway_Races) July 28, 2023
"Quite a lot of people don’t go to Galway to look at the horses, they go for the social side of it. Everyone likes to have a bet, it’s not as competitive as Cheltenham, Punchestown or Aintree for example, but we always got buzzed up for it as jockeys," he added.
"There is a different kind of hype there, riding a winner there, even if it’s in a handicap hurdle worth 100,000 euro, but you still get such a good kick out of it and that’s all because of the atmosphere."
For Cooper, Galway is more than just a racing event; it's a place where he reunites with people from his school days, some of whom he might not see year after year but always meets at the Galway Races. The festival attracts both young attendees and veteran racegoers who have been enjoying the event for decades.
"I could see people I went to school with there, who I might not see year in year out, but I’ll see them at Galway Races, they have it booked from the previous year. You have your 19 and 20 year olds but then you’ll have your lads who have been going there for 30 years."
The festival's flexibility stands out as well. People can start their day in town and then head out for the later races. This feature contributes to Galway's uniqueness and appeal, added Cooper further
"A lot of people will start off in town and then head out for the later couple of races - you can do pretty much anything you want and that is why it is such a unique festival.
The Galway Races will run from Monday, July 31 to Sunday, August 6, 2023
“Cooper was speaking to BoyleSports, who are offering the latest Galway Festival odds
