Two horses killed on Day 1 of the Galway Races racing festival
Two horses were killed on Day 1 of the Galway Races racing festival this week.
Horse Racing Ireland has confirmed the deaths of 4-year-old horses Munsif and Carmel’s Phoenix who both suffered falls in the “Galmont Hotel & The Galway Bay Hotel Novice Hurdle” race at Galway racecourse on Monday (27 July 2026).
Yesterday, on Day 3 of the festival (29 July):
• Horse Tom Mac "felt lame" and was pulled up.
• Senecia "was scoped post race and was found to have burst a blood vessel".
• Jockey D.L. Queally, rider of Mighty Berkshire, was suspended for 2 days after he "accepted he had used his whip excessively" in the closing stages of a race
• Jockey J.M. Sheridan, rider of Minella Rockett, was suspended for eight racedays (it was his third offence)
Both jockeys were found to be in breach of Regulation 10.3(g)(frequency) which states: "The use of the whip in the following circumstances is prohibited...The hitting of a Horse with excessive frequency. When determining whether or not the whip was used with excessive frequency the Raceday Stewards shall take into account if the Rider appeared to have hit their mount with the whip NINE TIMES OR MORE during a Race when their whip-hand had left the reins".
ACTION ALERT
Urge the Galmont Hotel and The Galway Bay Hotel to stop sponsoring horse racing.
The Galmont Hotel
Lough Atalia Road, Galway H91 CYN3Ireland
Tel: 091 538 300
Email: reservations@thegalmont.com
The Galway Bay Hotel
The Promenade,
Galway, H91 W295
Tel: 091 514 645
Email: info@galwaybayhotel.com
Don’t bet on horse racing or attend horse racing events.
Since 2001, the Irish Government has granted €1.54 Billion of public funds to horse racing. Contact the Taoiseach and Tanaiste and demand an end to state funding to this gambling activity which causes so much suffering and death. Tell them to redirect the funds to the many deserving charities, health/homeless/environmental groups, sports clubs, animal rescue centres, etc crying out for support.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Tel: 01 619 4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Tanaiste Simon Harris TD
Telephone: 01 281 3727
Email: simon.harris@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
X: http://www.twitter.com/SimonHarrisTD
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeputySimonHarris
Watch “RTE Investigates: Horses – Making a Killing”
https://youtu.be/ymm0xh3gp7o
Watch the BBC Panorama documentary “The Dark Side of Horse Racing”
https://youtu.be/F1TZnZgV8L4
Please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports
#YouBetTheyDie #RejectRacing