Galway Festival more than matched expectations last week following a memorable seven days. Just short of 140,000 racegoers went to Ballybrit over the course of the week, the bookmakers took in just under €8.8m, while the Tote’s turnover came in at over €5.55m.

The highlight of the week was the victory of Quick Jack in the Guinness Galway Hurdle. Not for the first time Tony Martin underlined his prowess at readying his horses for high-profile assignments as this lightly raced six-year-old turned up in peak form to land Ireland’s richest jumps race. Indeed, Martin would have supplied the first two home had Thomas Edison not exited at the last.

Of Martin’s other winners, Tudor City stands out as one to follow. He only narrow justified favouritism in a low-grade handicap on the Friday evening but he could be a good deal better than the bare result would suggest and there could be a good deal better to come.

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In the Plate, Shanahan’s Turn rediscovered the form that made him such an exciting novice in the early part of last winter with a fine display under jockey Jonathan Burke, who has excelled since becoming retained rider to Alan and Ann Potts 11 months ago. Henry de Bromhead has long felt that Shanahan’s Turn could make up into a Grade 1 chaser and this performance suggests those hopes remain realistic.

Hint Of A Tint

The training performance of the week came from David Wachman as he produced Hint Of A Tint off a 284-day layoff to claim the Topaz Mile. The five-year-old ran quite well when sixth in the race last year but had dropped a stone in the ratings since then and she took advantage to defeat Baraweez.

It was superb week for Wachman as his star filly Legatissimo landed the Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood in some style last Saturday. The 1000 Guineas winner had suffered a couple of narrow defeats coming into this race but she turned in a highly impressive effort and looks the standout filly of 2015.

Countdown to the Curragh

All eyes will be on the Curragh this weekend for the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes, the first Group 1 of the year for two-year-olds in Europe. The home team could have their work cut out to keep this prize at home with the English challenge headed by Mark Johnston’s Coventry Stakes winner, Buratino. The Curragh and Keeneland have combined to offer free admission to families for Sunday’s fixture.

Weld by a head

The most intriguing battle of the week of racing at Galway concerned the leading trainer award, which went to Dermot Weld for the 29th time, even though both Willie Mullins and Tony Martin bettered Weld’s tally of winners. Mullins recorded eight wins to Weld’s five but the Chanelle Veterinary-sponsored competition is a points-based system which awards five points for a win, three for a second and one for a third. A total of nine seconds and five thirds enabled Weld to defeat Mullins by a score 57 points to 56.

Moloney Passes on the reins

This year’s Galway Festival also marked the end of an era as racecourse manager John Moloney oversaw his last meeting at Ballybrit with the reins now passing to his son, Michael.

Over the course of 26 years in Galway, Moloney was the central figure in making this meeting such an outstanding success and his ceaseless efforts over the last quarter of a century have ensured that he leaves behind a towering legacy for Irish racing.