No sign of recession as punters splash out for Galway Races

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.

As usual, hardcore punters mixed with the ordinary Joe who doesn’t know one end of a horse from another. Not that you’d know the difference to look at them. Everyone is suited and booted and everyone you meet is an expert.

As always with Galway, recessions seem a million miles away with large amounts of money flowing hours before the first race. Hayley O’Connor of Ladbrokes said the bookmaker had taken a bet of €20,000 shortly after the turnstiles opened.