Ray Barron of Athlacca registered a wonderful riding treble at the Galway Racing Festival.
At the outset of the week Barron – who is based in Ballingarry with trainer Charles Byrnes, Ballingarry – scored aboard for handler Emmet Mullins with 7/2 favourite Teed Up in the €110,000 Connacht Hotel Handicap.
“Tis deadly!” beamed 31-year-old Barron. “To have a winner around Galway and especially in a premier handicap like this, it’s the one that every amateur wants to get their head in front in and to do it is phenomenal.
“I was surprised to get the call because I never rode for Emmet before. I couldn’t believe it and this is the biggest day of my career by a mile, it’s unbelievable.”
Later in the week, Barron landed a bumper with Fortunate Light (7/2) for Byrnes and on Sunday recorded his third win of the meeting as he partnered the Declan Queally-trained My Design to take the three-mile handicap hurdle.
Owned and bred by Fiona O’Connor, the 14/1 chance led as early as the second hurdle and she dug deep to hold off the Barry Connell-trained Call The Tune by half a length.
Figures released by Galway racecourse showed an overall attendance of 122,362 across the seven days of the 2023 festival, an increase of over 5,600 on last year. Attendances were up on each day of the festival, with the exception of Friday.
Meanwhile, there’s a fine card listed for Tipperary on Friday (4.45pm onwards).
