Well after a glorious week, it finally came. Rain and in biblical proportions.

"I made money nearly every day last year," John Francome begins before delivering the punchline with precision timing.

After four days of sunshine, the good old Galway weather decided to come along and spoil the party.

It takes more than an opening-day pasting by the bookies to keep punters away from Galway, as Tuesday brought big numbers and big spending to Ballybrit.

With wallets stuffed and kidneys steeled, thousands of punters flocked to Ballybrit for the opening day of the annual madness that is the Galway Races.

Thousands of eager punters will head west this week hoping to win their fortune as the Galway Races kick off today.

Big Buck’s is as short as 6-4 favourite to regain his Ladbrokes World Hurdle crown after the current champion Solwhit was ruled out of the race with injury.

After four days of wind, rain, winners and losers, weary punters were running on fumes after the madness of Ladies’ Day — Galway style.

Normal service was resumed for the Galway Plate as rain of biblical proportions battered bedraggled punters.

NOTE: A correction to this article is published at the end of the text.

Dual Classic-placed Galileo Rock is one of 43 entries for the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster on September 14.

WHEN I meet Henry McKean in The Humble Bean café on Aungier Street in Dublin he has the gait and face of a man who has just been through hell.

Ireland are odds-on to claim their first John Smith’s Grand National in six years following the first entry stage for the Aintree showpiece.

As Britain braces itself for temperatures as low as -15C next week, we will face a cold snap somewhat easier to manage.

If the sun gods did us a favour on Monday, it was back to business as usual with a bang yesterday as Galway was hit by biblical levels of rain.

It may have been in aid of the Connacht Special Olympics, but there was no shortage of a competitive edge amongst the brides to be first past the winning post.

Bookmaking firms were last night celebrating Galway’s Leinster SHC final victory over Kilkenny.

A staggering £35,000 (€41,624) a second will be gambled in Cheltenham this week as tens of thousands of Irish punters make the annual racing pilgrimage across the Irish Sea.

A FAMILY is to seek legal advice after a bookmaking chain refused to honour what the family insists were valid bets on last Friday’s EuroMillions draw.

DAVY RUSSELL gave a masterclass of waiting in front aboard Royal Choice in the Tipperary Home Of Hurling Hurdle at Clonmel last night.

AFTER a long week of hats and high heels, winners and losers and champagne by the bucket load, yesterday was a far more relaxed affair in Ballybrit.

HORSES were low on the list of priorities as the best and worst of fashion turned out for Ladies’ Day.

AFTER taking a hosing from the bookies on Monday, punters were hoping for better fortunes at a sun-drenched Ballybrit yesterday.

CURRAGH trainer Paul Deegan took the training honours in Wexford last night, registering a fine double with Beauty Express in the Gorey Race and following-up with Belleau in the claimer.

JONJO O’NEILL’S Synchronised, the Welsh Grand National winner, heads a 51-strong list of initial acceptors for the €250,000 Ladbrokes’ Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday.

IT looks like David Norris may have a fight on his hands for the keys to the Áras.

HAVE a glance at this e-mail that I, along with many others, received from William Hill some days ago.

Ryder Cup hero Graeme McDowell was elevated to legendary status at his hometown golf club today as fans and friends celebrated his dramatic match-winning performance.

A day to forget for Davy Russell ended in drama as the star jockey was taken to Tralee General Hospital after suffering a bad fall at Listowel on Thursday.

SUPPLEMENTARY entry Monterosso is as low as 3-1 in one book for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday.

RUBY WALSH came to the rescue of the punters with a much-needed victory on Big Buck’s, the first banker, and only the third favourite, to win at Cheltenham.

BOOKMAKERS were firmly in the driving seat after an enthralling day one at the Cheltenham Festival.

BOOKMAKER Ladbrokes yesterday acquired five of the 11 Cashman betting shops in Cork city and county in a deal believed to be worth close to €1.4 million.