Pat Smullen is braced for an “enjoyable but very important” week at the Galway Festival as the champion jockey looks to help make it another memorable year for Dermot Weld.
Offaly man Smullen has previously ridden 39 winners at the track, and knows exactly what it takes to rule the roost at Ballybrit.
“It’s a very important week for us. The boss, as long as I can remember, has targeted the place with great force. It’s an enjoyable week but also very important for us,” said Smullen.
"A winner that would be run-of-the-mill at another venue is special at Galway"
“You need an unbelievably tough and genuine horse at Galway. Weak-minded horses give up here. It’s a real test of a horse’s ability and agility to get around. Jockeys can kick too soon here. It’s a very demanding hill and the last hundred yards can be very long.”
With a record purse of €300,000 going to the winner of the Hurdle and the purse for the Plate increased to €220,000, the buzz around the Festival’s marquee races looks set to be even more feverish than usual.
“It’s no secret we target it with the best horses that we have at that time that are ready for it and usually they progress to be good horses,” added Smullen.
“Galway has that carnival atmosphere, it’s extremely well managed, extremely well promoted and so well attended that the atmosphere there is unique to Irish racing. A winner that would be run-of-the-mill at another venue is special at Galway.”
