The Galway festival continues this weekend at Ballybrit but racing’s focus continues to be on the nearby University Hospital where jockey Wesley Joyce remains in intensive care.
The 19-year-old apprentice rider is sedated in ICU according to the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB), who reported his condition has “further stabilised” following a bad fall on Thursday.
Joyce was riding Red Heel for his boss Mick Mulvany in the Listed Corrib Stakes and was in the lead shortly after the start when the horse fly-leapt before a road crossing which resulted in the jockey being unseated.
Much of the rest of the field appeared to gallop over Joyce who was quickly transferred to Galway University Hospital.
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“He’s stable and that’s all I really know,” Mulvany said on Friday. He described the incident as “just a freakish thing”.
Joyce joined Co Meath-based Mulvany over a year ago having previously worked for Johnny Murtagh.
He is a graduate of the Racing Academy and Centre of Excellence (Race) and the Moyross Youth Academy in his native Limerick.
The IHRB’s senior medical officer, Dr Jennifer Pugh, reported on Friday: “The majority of his injuries are in his chest and he will remain sedated in ICU to rest and be monitored over the coming days.”
It puts in context the business of winning and losing but the weekend does contain chances for cross-channel raiders to make a mark on the festival.
Sunday’s featured Ahonoora Handicap fell to British-based horses five times in a row between 2014 and 2018 but there is no raider this time.
However, Harry Fry does try his luck with Boothill in Saturday’s €110,000 highlight, the Boylesports Handicap Hurdle..
Out of luck with Winterwatch in Monday’s big amateur contest, Fry will leg Seán Bowen on to Boothill, who hasn’t run since finishing runner-up at Uttoxeter in March.
He is up against it in a 20-runner field with Willie Mullins bidding to win the race for a seventh time in 10 years.
Mullins has four chances and Paul Townend has opted to side with the Tipperary winner La Prima Donna.
She was fifth to Camprond at the Punchestown festival but Ambitious Fellow won at that meeting and subsequently scored again at Roscommon.
Stretching out to almost three miles should suit Sam Ewing’s mount and trainer Peter Fahey’s string could hardly be in better form.
Fahey may also strike in a later handicap on the flat with topweight Insane Bolt.
Jake Coen’s mount returned to action after a long lay-off with a running on third over hurdles here on Monday. Last year he also ran well over flights at the festival before scoring on the flat four days later.
There are pair of raiders from Gary Hanmer’s Cheshire yard taking their chance in Sunday’s two chase contests but it is the Ahoonora that is centre stage.
Ado McGuinness has a half a dozen of the 16-strong field as well as a first reserve.
Like his stable companions, Current Option, bidding to win the seven furlong contest for a third year in a row, lined up in Tuesday’s big mile handicap behind Magic Chegaga.
Casanova did best of them to finish runner-up but might not relish a drop back in trip.
Pierre Lapin missed the kick in the Mile and ran on well to be fifth. First-time cheekpieces could help from the gate and take full advantage of a stall one draw.
In other news, some on-course bookmaker figures for the Galway festival have been released by Horse Racing Ireland and show a decrease in turnover on the first two days compared to corresponding data in 2019.
Monday’s turnover of €871,538 was down 12 per cent on the last pre-pandemic festival in 2019. Tuesday’s business was down €65,037 (eight per cent) to €798,923.
Due to a change in the way figures are compiled, the bookmaker tally for Wednesday and Thursday is not fully known yet.
However, Wednesday’s Galway Plate programme is currently estimated to have increased slightly by over €50,000 on 2019 to €1,075,921.
Thursday’s Ladies’ Day card generated a confirmed €1,337,378 so far, a four per cent dip on 2019 figures and reflective perhaps of decreased attendance levels generally this week.
Separately, Tipperary racecourse will have general manager Andrew Hogan all to itself after confirmation on Friday that he is stepping down from the same role at Cork.
Hogan has ‘double-jobbed’ at the two tracks since 2016 but said he cannot continue to do so given major development plans at Tipperary.
