Last year was a painful one for John Mulhollands as King of Ballybrit,
Dermot Weld had a record haul of 17 winners at last year’s Galway festival, six
more than his previous best. It was the sheer number of winners that had John
and sons Eddie and Aland reaching for the smelling salts. Last year’s misery
was compounded by Blazing Tempo winning the Galway Plate for Willie Mullins and
Paul Townsend. It was said Galway exited the recession for the summer months
last year so good was the punters week.
John Mulholland senior set up business in1934 with shops in Galway and you’ll find present day John Mulholland betting on track, on phone, online through betpack.com and in 18 shops across the west of Ireland. This is their busiest week of the year and will be keen to do battle with the punters again this year. Present Galway football manager and son Alan is running the shops and telebetting side and said he would once again look to offer the punter value in these recessionary times and ensured unrivalled customer service especially for those once punters daunted by the betting experience. “The growth of online has certainly hurt profits but betting in shops during the week in Galway, there is a great buzz about, interacting with staff and customers alike and generally having the craic. We were awarded the regional bookmaker award for good reason and I look to my staff to treat punters better than the multi chains.
Last year we opened our marquee branch in Eyre Square and while we lost our shirt last year during the festival, this shop exceeded my expectations of numbers of new punters. Now customers from Dublin and across Ireland can now bet in any John Mulholland branch and get paid out in any of the 6 other betpack partners (John Hacketts, Terry Rogers, Bamburys, The Track, Pat Toolan & Tully Bookmakers)
My Best Galway memory
Majestic Concorde losing the Galway Plate. This was perhaps the biggest bet horse in the Galway plate over the years. It started off 8/1 at the beginning of the week but went off a 3/1 favourite in the 2010 renewal. We were inundated with bets and before the off and were staring at a 6 figure liability if the mount won for Dermot Weld and Davy Russell. Its greenness cost him the race as he was still quite novice at the fences and the fact he went on to win the big Christmas handicap chase Leopardstown as an unbacked 33/1 poke made it taste even sweeter.
My Worst Galway memory
It has to be the 2004 and Cloone River won the Galway Hurdle. This horse locally owned by Kathleen Gillane was a real housewives gamble. Backed on the day from 10/1 into 7/2, we saw both large bets in four figures and it seemed every person in Galway had at least €20 on him. The money just never stopped pouring on it right up to the off like defeat was out of the question and this is the biggest race of the 7 day festival. As John Cullen took up the hill, my heart sank and I knew the entire week’s profit was wiped out in one race.
Watch out throughout the week for offers in shops. I'll be keeping punters up to date with a live blog at Ballybrit on the John Mulhulholland facebook page and twitter page.
John Mulholland senior set up business in1934 with shops in Galway and you’ll find present day John Mulholland betting on track, on phone, online through betpack.com and in 18 shops across the west of Ireland. This is their busiest week of the year and will be keen to do battle with the punters again this year. Present Galway football manager and son Alan is running the shops and telebetting side and said he would once again look to offer the punter value in these recessionary times and ensured unrivalled customer service especially for those once punters daunted by the betting experience. “The growth of online has certainly hurt profits but betting in shops during the week in Galway, there is a great buzz about, interacting with staff and customers alike and generally having the craic. We were awarded the regional bookmaker award for good reason and I look to my staff to treat punters better than the multi chains.
Last year we opened our marquee branch in Eyre Square and while we lost our shirt last year during the festival, this shop exceeded my expectations of numbers of new punters. Now customers from Dublin and across Ireland can now bet in any John Mulholland branch and get paid out in any of the 6 other betpack partners (John Hacketts, Terry Rogers, Bamburys, The Track, Pat Toolan & Tully Bookmakers)
My Best Galway memory
Majestic Concorde losing the Galway Plate. This was perhaps the biggest bet horse in the Galway plate over the years. It started off 8/1 at the beginning of the week but went off a 3/1 favourite in the 2010 renewal. We were inundated with bets and before the off and were staring at a 6 figure liability if the mount won for Dermot Weld and Davy Russell. Its greenness cost him the race as he was still quite novice at the fences and the fact he went on to win the big Christmas handicap chase Leopardstown as an unbacked 33/1 poke made it taste even sweeter.
My Worst Galway memory
It has to be the 2004 and Cloone River won the Galway Hurdle. This horse locally owned by Kathleen Gillane was a real housewives gamble. Backed on the day from 10/1 into 7/2, we saw both large bets in four figures and it seemed every person in Galway had at least €20 on him. The money just never stopped pouring on it right up to the off like defeat was out of the question and this is the biggest race of the 7 day festival. As John Cullen took up the hill, my heart sank and I knew the entire week’s profit was wiped out in one race.
Watch out throughout the week for offers in shops. I'll be keeping punters up to date with a live blog at Ballybrit on the John Mulhulholland facebook page and twitter page.
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