The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-08-07
THE GAL WAY PLATE.
LII

animated appearance. Crowds OF
strangers from all parts of Ireland ar
rive by the various trains, and hasten
to take up their temporary quarters in
different parts of the city, for it is the
intention of the majority of them to re-
main for the two days racing. Galway
races have a special charm for the
stranger, for in the first place he has
a capital two days sport, and then in
the morning and evening, he can take
the car or tram out to Salt Hill. and
enjoy the bracing breezes of the broad
Atlantic. On this day of which 1 write,
Galway seems to be full to overlooking.
The country people for miles and miles
around flock into the city, and the most
primitive methods of conveyance are
made use of. Long Bianconi cars, dom
key carts, common dray carts, unwieldy
outside cars that never knew varnish,
and sturdy Connemara ponies, with
their bare-backed riders, stud the roads
that lead to Galway, and all coming for
the races How the Irish people love
the horse, and that feeling of love is
common to all. whether he be lord or
peasant, merchant or clerk Nowhere
in the world does such excitement reign
as on an Irish racecourse, while we'll
contested race is being run. and no
where, too, do the gallant winner and
his jockey get such a reception. And
those simple loving people, how they
will talk with one another about the
horses and Jockeys of other days. when
racing was INDUCED in for the most
part as sport and not as a specula-
ton. What a pleasure it is to listen to
those old people tell of the deeds of Gar
~ Moore, Tommy and Harry Beasley.
Willie and Fred Cullen. Reggie Gre
vile, better known as st, James, Dan
Caravan. Terry Kavanagh, and so many
more kings of the pigskin. And, mark
you. it is always Garry and Tommy and
Willie with them, as if those great rid
ers We're one of themselves, and lived
their lives next door. And how excited
they become, too, as they describe for
YOU how Garry rode the double, and
Willie shaved the rails and Harry won
on the post. Today many of those old
peolpe swell the great throng that as
sembles in Galway. and they are young
as the youngest there in esprit, and gay
as the gayest. With the old and young
all trouble and care, toll and struggle.
seem for the time to be forgotten. and
merry laughter and pleasant greetings
ring out on all sides. In the hotels and
bars. at the railway station, around the
square, and at the street corners groups
of people loiter about. discussing for the
most part the Galway Plate. The air
IS full OF tips" about this horse and
that and such phrases as these greet
the ear, turn where you will
Ravens Wing is a dead certainty. I
have If from those in tie know"
Il heard in Macks last night. that
there is pot Of money on Hope On
Look here. my dear fellow. let me tell
YOU that Matt Donnelly didn't bring
Merry John from the Curragh for moth
inc"
Shabby Prince, never heard of
him: he hasn't a look in.
Moon rides Forward and there's
something in that MOVE
It is twelve o'clock. and the cries of.
Vacant seats. sir" remind one. that
he had better be on the move. if he
wishes TO reach the course in time for
Tho first race. And that Journey from
Galway to Ballybrit on a dry. windy
''av IS an experience that is not easily
FORGOTTEN. Withsthe dust inside of you,
End outside of you. the binding. chok-
ing dust, YOU can form some little notion
Of what a wind-swept desert is. and on
? rainy day. we'll, Goodbye forever to
vour r"at patent leather boots. if Won
have. through some misfortune or other.
10 aliEht from your vehicle into that
very inviting bath of mud two inches
deep. But the day of which / write is
q beautiful August day, and the road is
free of dust or mud When BaIlybrit
is reached. the most difficult person to
please canont help saying. What
splendid course" Away on the hill is
the stand. and before it stretches out an
open country, interspersed with stone
walls, and not a tree or anything else
TO impede a clear view of
the course. Thousands of people dot the
slopes OF the hill, and inside the enclo-
sure, the fashionable and sporting ele-
ment are strongly represented. The
days proceedings open with a hurdle
race, followed by one or two more items.
which arouse the usual interest, and
then comes the piece de resistance, the
Galway Plate. The interval before it is
filled up with the inspection of the
horses, and speculation runs rife. as to
what is going to win. The numbers go
up. there are sixteen runners. and above
the hum of excitement, the loud cries of
the bookmakers are heard: Here! ten
to one some Of these runners" "Ten to
one Rudy Star DAY Dream and Va
liant Knight, one hundred to seven
Shabby Prince and the Dreamer. Four
TO one Merry John and Forward. Even
money Hope On. Seven to one bar
In corner of the paddock Jenny
Doran, the well known Curragh trainer.
is preparing Hope On for the contest.
and around the horse is a group of ad-
mirers
II can't see what's to beat him." is
their comment; hes fully stone bet
ter than when he won the Dunboyne
Plate so easily at Playhouse
Sir John Bodkin is standing bv the
side, and there is a CLEAN of
in his eyes, as he looks upon
his splendid horse, trained to the hour
He's as fit as hands can make him.
Sir John" whispers the trainer, patting
Hope On on the neck 81 am sending
out Quick Flash to make the running
for him, and there viii be only one in
1t at the descent Of the hill last time
around, and that one yours, Sir John.
that one yours
Matt Donnelly is giving the finishing
touches to Merry John, and he ridicuIes
the idea of defeat You will have an
arm chair ride" he is saying to An
drews, his jockey. land the only one
you will have to keep an eye on is For
ward. but L expect the hill will stop
him"
Beware Of this horses heels. If Won
don't want to feel how hard they are
shouts the stern voice of Rowley. the
trainer of Rudy Star, to the bystand-
ers as they crowd too near, and then.
liz