Summer racing festivals are the shop window for equine sector

Ray Ryan explains why the high summer series of racing festivals have a critical role to play in the global promotion of Irish horse breeding

THE high summer racing festivals began in Killarney last week and will continue in Galway with a seven-day spree starting next Monday.

Along with the harvest meeting in Listowel and the magic of Punchestown in the spring, the racing festivals represent the shop window of racing for thousands of people from the high rollers to what were once known as the “bob each way” punters.