The curtain came down on another memorable edition of the Galway Festival on Sunday, with both crowd numbers and betting figures showing strong growth over the seven-day event. Chief Executive Michael Moloney called the week “brilliant” and praised the atmosphere, the racing action, and improvements on and off the track.

The festival drew a total crowd of 125,997, marking a jump of nearly 10,000 from last year. Friday’s fixture was the busiest day, with 26,234 racegoers packing into Ballybrit.

From a wagering standpoint, the Tote enjoyed a bumper week, with betting totals rising each day to finish at €5.8 million, up 16% year-on-year. The on-course bookmakers also saw action heat up, recording more than €7.5 million in turnover—an increase of over 13%.

“We’ve been really fortunate with the weather over the week and there has been great crowds and a great atmosphere across the enclosure. It’s been brilliant,” said Moloney, reflecting on the successful week. “There has been a great mix of winners between trainers, jockeys, owners and syndicates. Everybody has been in the mix here and there has been plenty of drama and great stories.”

The festival was also a showcase for ongoing enhancements to the Galway experience. A new winners circle was introduced, giving returning victors more room and better visibility in the parade ring. Additional upgrades included improved bars and toilets, a new winning connections room, and features aimed at equine welfare—notably a new horse trot-up area and a safety road inside the track.

On the racing front, Dylan Browne McMonagle claimed the Flat jockeys’ title with three winners, while Jack Kennedy dominated the National Hunt action with four victories. It was another landmark year for Willie Mullins, who picked up his tenth leading trainer award.