Ballinrobe Races delivers thrilling two-day festival

Ballinrobe Racecourse was the place to be on Monday and Tuesday last as two jam-packed evenings of top-class racing drew spectacular crowds and celebrated strong local connections on the track. 

The Monday and Tuesday evening fixtures delivered not only thrilling action but a vibrant festival atmosphere, with families, racing fans, and community members turning out in their droves to enjoy a hugely successful July festival.

Monday’s meeting featured a full flat card on Tote Raceday and set the tone for a memorable two days. One of the standout performances came from San Salvador, who landed the feature race of the evening—the Download The Tote App Handicap—for trainer Joseph O’Brien and jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle. The win marked the eighth of the horse’s career and completed a double on the card for the trainer-jockey partnership.

Local interest was high as Buddy One produced a timely win in the Tote.ie Maiden for trainer Paul Gilligan and jockey Rory Cleary. The gelding, with his sights set firmly on the Galway Festival, is part-owned by Ballinrobe Racecourse director and committee member John Joe McGrath, alongside Eddie Lynch and Tom Quinn—adding an extra layer of excitement for local supporters in attendance.

Adding to the occasion was the visit of Minister for Agriculture, Food & Marine, Martin Heydon, who praised the racecourse for its vital role in both the racing industry and rural community. “I am really impressed with the venue here. There is no private owner, no drive for profit—just a clear commitment to reinvest in the facilities, supported by the Horse and Greyhound Fund and the Capital Development Fund. Places like Ballinrobe are pivotal, providing not only an important social outlet within the community but also driving local economic activity. Ballinrobe is thriving, and it’s great to see.” 

Tuesday evening saw a return to National Hunt racing and a continuation of the local success stories. One of the most popular wins of the night came courtesy of Only One Plan, trained by Michael Flannery and owned by Ballinrobe committee member Michael Cawe. The 7/1 shot jumped into the lead at the final hurdle of the David Heneghan Memorial Handicap Hurdle and powered home under jockey Conor Owens to raucous cheers from the packed grandstand. It marked Flannery’s second Ballinrobe win of the season, following an earlier victory with Tomas O’Maille.

Flannery commented after the race. “His owner and breeder Mick Cawe was one of the founding directors of the racecourse here and helped develop the course alongside other members. He’ll be watching at home and will be thrilled. I thought we might be going a bit soon after his Kilbeggan run, but it worked out perfectly. This is my Cheltenham.” 

There was more local cheer as Moonshine Girl, trained by Paul Gilligan and ridden by Jordan Gainford, finished a strong third. The 10/1 mare runs in the colours of the Out of the Woods Syndicate, which includes Ballinrobe staff members Lydon and Fintan McGrath and Dylan Hughes McGrath. Committee member and owner Timothy Kelly also featured in the placings, with his runner Nothing Hectic finishing third in the West ‘Howya’ Maiden Hurdle for trainer Hilary McLoughlin and jockey Sean Flanagan.

The excitement on the track was matched by the energy off it. Monday’s card a fantastic turnout at Ballinrobe’s popular family evening, while Tuesday night’s festivities concluded with a full house in the Mask Pavilion for the ever-popular Mike Denver Race Dance.

Racecourse manager John Flannelly expressed his delight following the two-day festival: “We couldn’t be happier with how it all went. There were so many local winning connections which always add an extra buzz to the crowd. I haven’t seen as many kids at our family day in years, and as always, the Tuesday night crowd was huge. The Mike Denver Race Dance was the perfect way to finish off a brilliant evening.” 

Racing resumes at Ballinrobe on Monday, August 11th with another memorable night at the Mayo track surely on the cards.