If the Galway races are an indication of the country's economic self-confidence then Ireland must be bordering on the boorish after the festival's final session yesterday brought the total amount of money bet for the week to within a short-head of the €30 million mark.
More than €2.6 million was bet on the course yesterday which resulted in a tally for the week of a record-breaking €29.6 million.
Bookmaker turnover alone over the seven days reached €21,845,360 after yesterday's figure of almost €2 million, which meant a 15.7 per cent increase overall on the 2005 festival.
The amount bet on the Tote over the week dipped over €200,000 on last year to just over €7.7 million.
But once again expectations everywhere else were exceeded at Ballybrit as a total attendance for the week reached 190,522. This was up from last year's 182,620.
Yesterday's big race, the €100,000 McNamara Builders Premier Handicap, was won by the English-trained second favourite, Bolodenka, which beat Dynamo Dancer by two lengths.
Bolodenka's rider Declan McDonogh earned the festival's leading flat rider title with five winners, the same as Pat Smullen, but McDonogh edged the competition having won more prize-money.
Ruby Walsh also rode five winners over the week and was crowned the top jockey over jumps while, as expected, Dermot Weld was yet again the leading trainer with seven winners.
The highlight of the festival was Thursday's record crowd of 48,120 but the Galway executive are not resting on their laurels.
However, it wasn't all good news for some of racing's star names.
The top jockeys Tony McCoy, Barry Geraghty and David Casey all picked up injuries during the week which will keep them on the sidelines of over a month.
The authorities also reported yesterday that 12 horses received fatal injuries over the week.
See also SportsMonday
