Local boy gunning for Galway winners at his beloved Ballybrit

Leigh Roche is a local boy, born and bred just 30 kilometres away in the town of Tuam, so perhaps that is why he illustrates race week at Galway better than any of us ever could.

“I will never forget riding Bog War there last year,” he begins. “It was a 50-70 handicap, the race after the Galway Hurdle on the Thursday. He was the talk of the week. No matter where I went or who I saw all anyone wanted to know about was Bog War. It felt like the whole place backed him and most of them did. He was 6-1 in the morning and I remember walking out of the weighing room and seeing he was only 5-2.

“The atmosphere was almost surreal. I remember coming down into the dip and bringing Bog War to the front and I could hear the roar from the crowd. It was some buzz. I have never experienced a buzz like it. It was a long home straight let me tell you, but he stuck his neck out and won. I wish I could bottle that feeling as you pass the line on a winning favourite at Galway. Nothing compares to it.”