HORSE RACING: Ballinrobe racecourse manager John Flannelly with George McDonagh on 'Over The Line'

With the 2026 racing season at Ballinrobe racecourse just days away (Friday, 17th April), interest is already building ahead of 10 fixtures over the year that will feature a mix of competitive national hunt and flat racing. Among the highlights will be McHale Raceday (Monday, 25th May), which hosts the biggest races run at Ballinrobe each year — the McHale Mayo National and the McHale Mayo Hurdle — attracting leading trainers and competitive fields. The McHale Mayo National has been won by horses from the Gordon Elliott yard for the past 3 years with last year’s winner Western Fold going on to achieve success in the Tote Galway Plate and the Champion Chase in Gowran Park. Racecourse manager John Flannelly joined Galway Bay FM's George McDonagh on 'Over The Line' to chat about the season and the Mayo National. == Check out lunchtime sport on Galway Bay FM this Tuesday and Wednesday (14th/15th April) for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the McHale Raceday.