The Galway Hurdle is a National Hunt

National Hunt racing

National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...

 hurdle race

Hurdling (horse race)

A Hurdle race in England is a National Hunt horse race where the horses jump over obstacles called hurdles that are over three and a half feet high. They are typically made of brush, that has some flexability. Hurdle races always have a minimum of eight hurdles and a minimum distance of two miles ....

 in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 which is open to horses

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

 aged four years or older. It is run at Galway

Galway

Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...

 over a distance of 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year in late July or early August.

The event is held during the seven-day Galway Festival

Galway Races

The Galway Races is an Irish horse-racing festival that starts on the last Monday of July every year. Held at Ballybrit Racecourse in Galway, Ireland over seven days, it is the longest of all the race meets that occur in Ireland....

 meeting. It was established in 1913, and the inaugural running was won by Red Damsel. For the first six years it was contested over 1½ miles. The race is now sponsored by Guinness

Guinness

Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...

.

Winners since 1988

• Weights given in stones and pound
  Pound (mass)
  The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
  
  s; Amateur jockeys indicated by "Mr".

  Year	Winner	Age	Weight	Jockey	Trainer
  1988	Try a Brandy	6	09-07	Harry Rogers	Marty Dunne
  1989	I'm Confident	5	09-07	Mr Fran Flood	M. McDonagh
  1990	Athy Spirit	5	10-11	Tom Taaffe Tom Taaffe Tom Taaffe is an Irish horse trainer based at Portree Stables, Boston, Straffan, in County Kildare.He began training in 94/95 jumps season, having had a successful career as a professional jump jockey for the Arthur Moore stable....	Willie Fennin
  1991	Sagaman	5	10-12	Mr Philip Fenton	L. J. Codd
  1992	Natalies Fancy	6	10-03	Jason Titley	Pat Kelly
  1993	Camden Buzz	5	10-12	Charlie Swan	Paddy Mullins Paddy Mullins Paddy Mullins was an Irish racehorse trainer in a career which spanned fifty two years.His first winner was Flash Parade, which won the 1953 La Touche at Punchestown...
  1994	Oh So Grumpy	6	10-09	Mark Dwyer	Jessica Harrington
  1995	No Tag	7	10-11	Jason Titley	Pat Kelly
  1996	Mystical City	6	10-01	David Casey	Willie Mullins Willie Mullins Willie Mullins is an Irish racehorse trainer and former jockey. He is based at Closutton, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow, Ireland...
  1997	Toast the Spreece	5	10-09	Tony McCoy Tony McCoy Anthony Peter McCoy OBE , commonly known as A. P. McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish horse racing jockey....	Aidan O'Brien Aidan O'Brien Aidan Patrick O'Brien is an Irish horse racing trainer. Since 1996, he has been the private trainer at Ballydoyle Stables near Cashel in County Tipperary for John Magnier and his Coolmore Stud associates....
  1998	Black Queen	7	10-02	Shay Barry	John Kiely
  1999	Quinze	6	11-12	Richard Dunwoody Richard Dunwoody Thomas Richard Dunwoody MBE is a retired British jockey in National Hunt racing. He was a three-time Champion Jockey, riding 1699 British winners in his career. His father was a leading Point to Point rider...	Pat Hughes
  2000	Perugino Diamond	4	09-08	Jim Culloty Jim Culloty Jim Culloty is a racehorse trainer and retired professional National Hunt jockey who won both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National in the same season....	Seamus O'Farrell
  2001	Ansar	5	09-09	Paul Carberry Paul Carberry Paul Carberry is an Irish National Hunt jockey.- Background :He was born on 9 February 1974. He hails from a racing family. He is the son of jockey Tommy Carberry, who was a famous National Hunt jockey in the 1960s and 1970s. His uncle is Arthur Moore, one of Ireland's leading National Hunt trainers...	Dermot Weld Dermot Weld Dermot K. Weld is one of Ireland's most successful racehorse trainers. He holds the record for the most winners trained in Ireland ....
  2002	Say Again	6	10-07	John Cullen	Paul Nolan
  2003	Sabadilla	9	09-07	Pat Verling	Pat Verling
  2004	Cloone River	8	10-07	John Cullen	Paul Nolan
  2005	More Rainbows	5	09-10	Niall Madden Niall Madden Niall "Slippers" Madden is an Irish jockey who rode the racehorse Numbersixvalverde to win the 2006 Grand National steeplechase at Aintree Racecourse....	Noel Meade Noel Meade Noel Meade is a famous horse trainer from Ireland. He established Tu Va Stables in Co. Meath, Ireland as a place to train his horses.Meade began his career as a horse trainer in 1971, but it was not until 1978 that Meade started to become well recognized. Sweet Mint, winner of the Cork and Orrery...
  2006	Cuan Na Grai Cuan Na Grai Cuan Na Grai is an Irish thoroughbred racehorse whose hurdling career was highlighted in 2006 when he won the Galway Hurdle at the Galway Festival. By Erins Isle and out of Volnost, the eight-year-old is owned by John Brennan and trained by Paul Nolan in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland...	5	10-09	Paddy Flood	Paul Nolan
  2007	Farmer Brown	6	10-11	Davy Russell Davy Russell Davy Russell is an Irish jockey who competes in National Hunt racing. Russell's first win as a professional jockey was for English-based Irish trainer Ferdy Murphy on Inn Antique in a novice hurdle at Sedgefield, 12 November 2002...	Pat Hughes
  2008	Indian Pace	7	09-10	Paul Townend	John Kiely
  2009	Bahrain Storm	6	10-12	Stephen Gray	Pat Flynn Patrick J. Flynn Patrick J. Flynn is a successful race horse trainer. Among the winners the he has trained are:Alalja, winner of:*1992 Debutante Stakes Montelado, winner of:*1992 Champion Bumper*1993 Supreme Novices' HurdleSalmon Eile, winner of:...
  2010	Overturn	6	11-06	Graham Lee Graham Lee (jockey) Graham Lee is a successful Irish National Hunt jockey in Great Britain and Ireland. Prior to May 2006, he was the main stable jockey for Howard Johnson, but was replaced by Paddy Brennan, allegedly after a disagreement over his return from an injury. Lee became the main stable jockey and deputy...	Donald McCain, Jr. Donald McCain, Jr. Donald McCain, Jr. is an English racehorse trainer and former jockey whose father, Ginger McCain, trained four Grand National winning horses.McCain, Jr., has trained four Cheltenham Festival winners as well as the 2011 Grand National winner, Ballabriggs....
  2011	Moon Dice	6	10-04	Tom Doyle	Paul Flynn

Earlier winners

* The 1961 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.
* There were two winners in 1975 as the race was split into separate divisions.