They’re off at the Galway Races as punters go west

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

More than 150,000 are set to flock to Ballybrit over the week for what is one of the biggest weeks in the Irish racing calendar.

A report commissioned by the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association last year found that the festival is one of the largest in the world based on attendances and heightened media exposure, contributing millions to the local and national economy.