TG4 confirms Live TV coverage Friday 30th and Saturday 31st July from Galway Races Summer Festival
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Two days of racing from this year’s Galway Races Summer Festival will be broadcast live on TG4 on Friday 30th and Saturday 31st July, the station has confirmed.
The live coverage on TG4 will include a packed race card with 15 races shown over the two days to a free-to-air audience. The live broadcast from Ballybrit will be a welcome return to the racecourse for the Irish language broadcaster, who last aired the races in 2006.
2021 saw a concerted increase in Irish Horseracing coverage for TG4, which provided live racing to fans over 10 weeks from venues including Leopardstown, Punchestown, Naas, Cork, Limerick, Dundalk, Navan and Sligo.
Highlights have included the opening of the flat season back at its home in The Curragh; the Easter Festival in Fairyhouse and the triumphant return to Tramore of trainer Henry de Bromhead and his stable of champions (Minella Times, Honeysuckle, Put the Kettle On, Minella Indo and Balko Des Flos) who were paraded live for admirers on TG4.
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Rásaí Beo will be presented by Seán Bán Breathnach, with analysis by Mánus Ó Conghaile and Evelyn Ní Ghriallais. Racing journalist Daragh Ó Conchúir will be getting all the reactions from trainers, owners and jockeys outside the parade ring and race commentary will be provided by Cárthach Breathnach. The team will be providing the TG4 audience with comprehensive coverage from the racecourse and no doubt there will be some craic agus spraoi to be had in Ballybrit as well.
Rásaí Beo will also be available to watch on the TG4 Player and on the TG4 Mobile and Smart TV App. Spórt TG4 will also have exclusive behind the scenes action from Ballybrit across its social media channels.
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CEO of Galway Racecourse, Michael Moloney said:
"We are delighted to have the team from TG4 broadcast live from Galway Racecourse on both the Friday and Saturday of our Summer Festival this year. In the current times, we really miss our loyal supporters here in Ballybrit that come year after year, and bring such magic to our event, so this news that they can get close to the action this Summer is very much welcomed. The Galway Races is a multi-generational event and such a huge part of Summer tradition and Irish culture.
In total, viewers at home throughout Ireland tuning into TG4 will get to see fifteen races live on television, and will feature The Guinness Galway Tribes Handicap Hurdle, The Guinness Galway Blazers Handicap Steeplechase, and The Galway Shopping Centre Handicap with a total prize fund in excess of €500,000 over the two days. The team at TG4 have always been hugely progressive and are great supporters of Irish racing and our Festival. On behalf of our fans and the Galway Race Committee, I would like to thank them for making this happen. We look forward to working with the team in TG4 both in the build up to and during race week."
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TG4’s Head of Sport, Rónán Ó Coisdealbha said:
“We are delighted to be showing the Galway Races Summer festival. Horse racing became an integral part of the station’s sporting output this year, and we look forward to continuing this with TG4’s free-to-air coverage from Ireland’s largest horse racing meet. We are particularly excited to be back in Ballybrit for the first time in 15 years, and to bring all the thrills that comes with this iconic festival to the viewers at home.
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The full TG4 Galway Races schedule is as follows:
FRIDAY 30 JULY
Live coverage begins on TG4 at 3.45pm
1st race, 4pm: The James’s Gate Maiden Hurdle
2nd race, 4.30pm: The Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle
3rd race, 5pm: The Guinness Galway Tribes Handicap Hurdle
4th race, 5.30pm: The Guinness Handicap Hurdle
5th race, 6.05pm: The Guinness Beginners Steeplechase
6th race, 6.40pm: The Arthur Guinness Steeplechase
7th race, 7.10pm: The Guinness Galway Blazers Handicap Steeplechase
SATURDAY 31 JULY
Live coverage begins on TG4 at 12.30pm
1st race, 12.50pm: The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden
2nd race, 1.22pm: The Galway Shopping Centre Maiden
3rd race, 1.57pm: The O’Leary Insurances Handicap
4th race, 2.32pm: The Galway Shopping Centre Handicap
5th race, 3.10pm: The Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden
6th race, 3.45pm: The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Nursery Handicap
7th race, 4.20pm: The Galway Shopping Centre Handicap
8th race, 4.50pm: The McDonogh Capital Investments Handicap
