Ardilaun Hotel Oyster Stakes is highlight of Galway Autumn meet

John McIntyre

OVER €350,000 in prizemoney is at stake over the three-day Galway Autumn Festival with the Ardilaun Hotel Oyster Stakes, won 12 months ago by the Charlie Swan trained Rajik, once again dominating the meeting at Ballybrit.

Monday’s €50,000 listed event has attracted an initial entry of 22, including two potential challengers from Mark Johnston’s UK stable, Clare Gem and Eternal Heart, and six from Aidan O’Brien’s Coolmore operation. The action gets underway on the final day all flat card at 4.20pm.

The jumpers, however, will have the spotlight to themselves for the Saturday and Sunday National Hunt fixtures when racing each afternoon will commence at 2.55pm.

The Deacy Gilligan Novice Chase is the feature event on Saturday with recent winners, Down In Neworleans and Vital Plot, heading the list of entries. Casey Top and the Henry De Bromhead trained Spill The Beans could also be bound for this €22,000 contest.

Natural High was one of Dermot Weld’s record breaking 17 winners at the summer festival and the dual purpose performer could attempt to follow up in the Easyfix Rubber Products Novice Hurdle, while former Galway Plate hero, Ballyholland, is among the entries for the Colm Quinn BMW Chase.

Sunday’s card is dominated by the Guinness Handicap Chase with the Liam Mulryan owned Idarah the highest rated of the original acceptors. Fosters Cross, which made virtually all to land the big amateur handicap at the summer meeting, also holds an entry as do the locally trained pair, Carrleoni and King Ali.

The progressive Oneeightofamile from the John Kiely stable is an eye-catching contender for the Ballybane Hurdle where the six-year-old would be chasing a four-timer. Noel Meade’s Virgil Earp, successful at Ballybrit in July, Won In The Dark, though not quite the force of old, and Tavern Times help to give this two mile four furlong contest an above average appeal for this time of year.

Track Manager John Moloney reported that the ground on Wednesday morning was “good, good to firm in places” with the prospect of heavy showers over the next couple of days.

“If the weather forecast is accurate, I would expect that ground conditions would ride good for the meeting. I am encouraged by the level of entries, the prizemoney is good and we have some top quality horses coming to Ballybrit,” said Moloney.

With a guaranteed jackpot of €5,000 each day and a special barbeque package – for only €30 racegoers will get general admission, a BBQ meal, a €5 drinks voucher and a €5 Tote voucher, together with post racing entertainment from Jimmy Norman of Galway Bay FM – on Saturday, hopes are high that attendance figures will hold up for the festival.