You will have noticed how ticket prices for most concerts and sports events have taken a serious hike since COVID and the various energy supply shocks of the past five years.

But one form of live entertainment which has pretty much held the line on its basic admission fee is horseracing. Next week you can get into Galway Races for €30 any day (€35 on Thursday) if you buy your ticket in advance. It was €25 in 2019 (€30 on Thursday).

It’s a policy which has worked well for Galway. The 2019 total attendance was 129,000 and last year it was 126,000.

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Compare that with the Cheltenham Festival which has seen its crowd numbers fall by 15% for the same period.

Both Galway and Cheltenham are battling to keep customers in the face of rising accommodation and catering costs. It’s arguably easier for Galway as most punters can drive home after racing without too much hassle. From south Co Dublin, the journey to Ballybrit is two hours 20 minutes.

And one day of Galway is enough for the majority of people. There’s a great life-affirming buzz as you stroll around the enclosures. All human life is here, you think, as you watch the high and mighty rub shoulders with the drunk and disorderly.

The lyrics of The Dubliners’ song written in tribute still ring true.

There was half a million people there

Of all denominations

The Catholic, the Protestant

The Jew and Presbyterian

There was yet no animosity

No matter what persuasion

To me whack fol the do fol the diddlely idle day

Being a bit of a racing snob, I used to look down at Galway because the quality of the fare on the track itself was far from top class.

“I suppose you’ll be in Galway for the week?” friends would ask.

“God, no,” I’d reply with a disdainful look. “Sure, it’s mostly the same horses who ran at Ballinrobe and Wexford the week before. The only difference is that Galway is on the telly!”

Well, I’ve had to revise that view in recent times. One of the very best thoroughbreds in the world this year, Aidan O’Brien’s Constitution River, won his first race at last year’s Galway Festival. O’Brien has also run a couple of future Derby winners there.

There’s also been plenty of high-calibre winners over jumps who put in an appearance at Galway over the past 10 years too, mostly trained by Willie Mullins. Last year’s Galway Plate winner, Western Fold, went on to win at Grade 1 level for trainer Gordon Elliott.

So this racing aficionado is looking forward to heading back to Ballybrit for a day out next week. It’s cheaper than Croke Park and you even have the chance to go home with more money than you came with.

There’s a great life-affirming buzz as you stroll around the enclosures at the races. \Healy Racing

Horses to follow

1. Hopeful Hero (Tom Hogan): A very consistent young hurdler who finally got his head in front at Bellewstown earlier this month. Could be underestimated by the handicapper and goes well for rising star Alan O’Sullivan.

2. Reverend Hubert (Charles Byrnes): Prolific dual-purpose performer who is in the form of his life this summer.

3. Wild Bill Hickok (Ciaran Murphy): A French flop who looks to be much more focussed on winning since he’s had the snip.

4. Paul’s Dream (Tony Mullins): This mare appears to have turned herself inside out in recent months. Is she the next Princess Zoe?

5. Gomez Addams (Henry de Bromhead): Expect local owner Basil Holian to have a winner or two. This horse won a bumper here last year and looks primed to score again.

6. Daboya (Dick Donohoe): Another mare who has been tearing up the summer circuit. Her Co Kilkenny trainer has a good Galway strike-rate.

7. Nouvotic (Henry de Bromhead): Made all the running to win at the Punchestown Festival, tactics that often work well in the Galway Plate.