Just as it comes down from its Arts Festival buzz, Galway is about to go horse racing crazy as the annual Galway Race Festival gets the off in the city on Monday.

Galway Now's Sinead Ni Neachtain, the Clayton Hotel's resident DJ for Race week Jimmy Norman, Louis Copelands Robert Fahy and Galway Now's Jo Lavelle pictured at the launch of the Clayton Hotels 2008 Race Week program on Wednesday Evening. Photo: Reg Gordon

The internationally renowned Galway Races will kick off this coming Monday, 28 July with the usual evening meeting kicking off at 5.10pm at the Ballybrit race course.

This year's racing festival will follow the same format as other years with three evening meetings on Monday, Tuesday and Friday, with first race beginning at 5.10pm, and four day meetings on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

Racing on Wednesday and Thursday will kick off at 1.50pm, with the last race at 6.05pm, Saturday's racing begins at 2.15pm and Sunday's racing begins at 1.45pm. The entrance fee varies from day to day. Monday is priced at €10, Tuesday €25, Wednesday and Thursday €30, Friday is €25, while Saturday and Sunday is €20. Admittance is €2 for children.

The summer festival race meeting is known worldwide for its electric atmosphere, excellent racing and infectious sense of fun.

A record 210,000 people attended the summer festival meeting in 2007, where betting turnover reached over €31 million. The total prize fund for the 51 sponsored races reached €1.9 million.

One of the highlights of the festival is Thursday or Ladies' Day when the Best Dressed Person Competition takes place on Thursday, 31 July.

Anthony Ryan Ltd of Shop Street, Galway, again, sponsors this year's competition and the Best Hat Competition is sponsored by The Ardilaun Hotel, Taylors Hill. The best dressed this year will receive a prize fund of €17,000, an increase of €12,000 on last year's prize.

Another great day at the Galway Races is the last day Sunday or 'Mad Hatters Day'. This is a day when women, men, children, families and friends dress up in the most stylish, creative and even outrageous hats, all vying for a chance at winning some of the top prizes.

Wednesday or Galway Plate day at the races, sees the National Breast Cancer Research Institute (NBCRI) fundraising tent at 'The Hospitality village' for the first time.

The tent, which will host a number of well know celebrities, including the charity's patron, Gráinne Seoige, will be one of the highlights of NBCRI's fundraising events this year.

Guests on the day can expect to be treated like stars themselves with admission to the tent including: racecourse admission and complimentary parking with a Bucks Fizz reception on arrival before being treated to a five course gourmet meal with complimentary wines.

The tent will have full Tote facilities as well as bookmakers on-site in the village and a personality tipster to help you place your bets. All proceeds from the event will go directly to the National Breast Cancer Research Institute located at NUIG, to fund the NBCRI's research team, headed by Prof Michael Kerin.

Tickets are €375 per seat or €3,750 per table of ten. If you would like to support breast cancer research by attending the event, contact Mairin Clancy on 091-526677 or visit www.nbcri.ie for more details.

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