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The Irish Sun
11 hours ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Bookies avoid back-to-back bashings at Galway Races as ‘dream winner' helps swing momentum & top trainer ‘delighted'
BOOKIES breathed a sigh of relief on day two of the Galway Festival — after taking a bashing on day one. Brian O'Keeffe, spokesperson for 7 King Of Kingsfield ridden by Jack Kennedy won the Latin Quarter Beginners Chase Credit: PA 7 Racegoer Savannah Bergin stepped out in style for Day 2 Credit: Sportsfile 'Sticktotheplan was a dream winner in the opener at 22/1 and then Dunum winning really swung momentum our way as we look to day three.' In the big Under the guidance of 53-year-old jockey Seamie Heffernan, the Natalia Lupini trained seven-year-old was recording its third career victory at Ballybrit. Lupini said afterwards: 'He did well today and Seamie is a great asset for a small yard like ours. READ MORE IN HORSE RACING "Having a jockey of his calibre is a massive help.' Earlier on in the day, King Of Kingsfield ridden by Jack Kennedy won the Latin Quarter Beginners Chase at 7/2, fending off 6/4 favourite My Great Mate. Winning trainer Gordon Elliott said he was 'delighted' with the win and Kennedy 'gave him a beautiful ride'. Elliott added: 'The plan was to sit second or third, just keep it simple. Most read in Horse Racing "To have a lead, there wasn't much pace. Just go as steady as you could in front. "But I thought he gave him a beautiful ride. The horse was a bit careful early. Top trainers, jockeys and truckloads of Guinness arrive at Ballybrit as Galway Races 2025 changes revealed 'Look, when you've used them good lads like Paul and Jack and the rest of them, they are great lads, they know exactly what they're doing.' Punters filled the The Conquerors' keyboard player Tony Maher said the band is delighted to be back at He said: 'With it being one of the best racing festivals in the country, we are really enjoying playing and keeping the crowd dancing. 'SO SPECIAL' "And celebrating everything that makes the Galway Races so special.' Punters were again in good spirits today with the odd few still nursing a hangover from the previous day. A large group from Kilreekill, Galway were celebrating a big birthday. Sylvia Lowry said: 'We only live an hour outside of Galway, so we come here for one day every year. 'WE LOVE THE ATMOSPHERE' "It's usually my husband's birthday during race week. So he's 50 this year. 'We love the atmosphere and we 100 per cent bet every race. 'We might not be big bettors, but we're probably big losers.' Belclare locals Tommy O'Brien, Bernie O'Brien and Gerard O'Brien rolled into the racecourse straight from Canavan's ANNUAL TRADITION Tommy said: 'We come to Galway every year, every Tuesday evening. "We will have a bet on every race and hope for the best. 'Sometimes it's the name of the horse or something will catch your eye in the programme. "It's all about the favourite in Galway, but then again anything can win in Galway. MAIN PRIORITY 'The atmosphere is brilliant so far.' Racing fanatics Barbara Mangan and her sister Dolores turned heads in their stunning outfits. Galwegian Barbara said: 'We have been coming here for the last 15 or 20 years. We take a 'sister day' because she lives in 'We don't like to go for the favourites really because you kind of have to put big 'GOOD CROWD' 'And then we might throw a few quid on a 50/1. Now we've been lucky a few years, but it's just the fun. It's all about the fun.' Dolores chuckled: 'I like to go up and look the horses in the eyes. Honestly, I've been quite lucky with that.' Eimear Kelly from She said: 'It's a good crowd here. We have got three different tips for today. RAISING THE STYLE STAKES "I pick my horses based on what everyone else tells me. Because if I pick them, they will lose.' In Galway city, racegoers and fashion fans raised the style stakes at the Racing for Rosabel evening in aid of Rosabel's Rooms, a child loss project in partnership with the Irish Hospice Foundation, at the Connacht Hotel. Kiera Williams scooped Best Dressed Lady and Colin Quigley bagged the Best Dressed Man prize. Organiser Caroline Downey said: 'The style was better than ever, and a huge thanks to all our sponsors and supporters. 'ONE OF THE BEST' "It's always a fantastic day, but today has to be one of the best.' All eyes today will be on the Galway Plate with a prize pot of €270,000. Former Aidan said: 'You do really need a horse that likes the hustle and bustle because they are rough enough races and that can also handle the track. 'BIG PLUS' 'A horse that's been to the meeting before is a big plus. Or has a run at a track similar like Cheltenham. "A horse with experience is a big help. 'If they have ran well at this meeting before, that's a big plus. 'That's what I'm looking for because the Galway Plate is not an easy race.' NEXT YEAR HOPES He added: 'Amirite, Henry De Bromhead's, was a little bit disappointing in this race last year but it is coming here after winning in Kilbeggan last time out. 'He's been here but didn't run as well. 'At the same time he knows what's in store this year and hopefully he can run very well again.' MY VIEW I WOKE up feeling surprisingly fresh after yesterday's antics and raring to go for another day of racing at Ballybrit. Punters were in good form and quickly cured any sore heads. The roar of the crowd as King Of Kingsfield thundered down the final straight was absolutely deafening. I popped into the dedicated zone Beauty Paddock in collaboration with Vision Ireland for a touch-up. Barbara Coakley from Vision Ireland Ballinasloe told me: 'We've over 300 shops nationwide and this is our first time here at the races with a pop-up. And it's so successful. 'We have wonderful hats, fascinators, shawls for when it gets a bit colder in the evening, nice flat shoes if the feet are killing you. So it's going really well.' Highlight of the day was having a chat with Ireland's racecourse commentator Jerry Hannon who had plenty of stories to tell me. As for my luck on bets, that's another story! 7 There were multiple best dressed competitions Credit: Sportsfile 7 Racegoers were kept entertained with music and sights throughout the day Credit: Sportsfile 7 Jockey James Anthony 'Seamie' Heffernan took home the Colm Quinn Bmw Mile Handicap with beloved horse Dunum Credit: PA 7 Delighted punters were in good spirits after an exciting first day Credit: Inpho 7 Heffernan celebrated his huge win alongside trainer Natalia Lupini Credit: PA
ABC News
13-07-2025
- General
- ABC News
Australians, especially men, are reading less than ever before
In the country Victorian town of Hamilton, nearly 300 kilometres west of Melbourne, a group of men meet in their local pub once a month to talk about the latest novel they are reading. Farmer Jack Kennedy, who formed the Hamilton branch of the Tough Guy Book Club nearly five years ago, grew up feeling like it was not normal for men to read books. "[Fiction] is a great way to build empathy in men, when they're reading through someone else's eyes," Mr Kennedy said. But according to data collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in 2020-21 that was published last year, Australians are reading less. That was especially true for men. Tough Guy Book clubs were started by Melburnian Shay Leighton 13 years ago with the aim of getting men to "read more, talk more, and have more friends". "It just really builds great connections among men," Mr Kennedy said, as a tractor hummed in the background. "Which I think is something that we're really desperate for at the moment with a lot of the political things going on and the way that we currently interact socially with social media." But growing up there was a social norm "where you didn't want to be known as someone who reads books", he said. That is borne out by the ABS data, although it hints at a broader decline in reading, despite Aussies having more leisure time than ever before. The population cohort that reads the least is males aged 15–24, with only 10.1 per cent reading on any given day, according to the ABS. While Gen Z teenage girls and young women weren't far ahead, the data shows females on average are reading more than males across all age groups. Nearly one in four Generation X females (23 per cent) participated in reading compared to about one in eight Generation X males (12 per cent). Anna Burkey, president of book industry initiative Australia Reads, which aims to get more people reading, said part of the problem was boys and men did not see themselves reflected in the reading world. "If you see people around you regularly doing something, you want to do it," Ms Burkey said. "If you see fewer men and boys [reading] then you think to yourself, 'Well, maybe that's not for me because I do not see myself reflected'". According to Ms Burkey, 29 per cent of Australian senior school students did not read or listen to a book at all in the previous 12 months, a 7 per cent increase on a previous study. "We're not just seeing people not reading for themselves … we're seeing people not reading to their children as much and that they are less likely to read to boys than to girls," she said. "So this pattern is being reinforced very unconsciously." Ms Burkey said she would like to see more dads reading to their children to set a positive example. Award-winning Victorian author Jock Serong said being read to as a child made an impact. "I was one of those kids who was lucky enough to be read to very, very heavily by my parents," Serong said. Serong said the decline in reading worried him. "Everyone in the world of books is fighting a rearguard action for survival," he said. "We're all driven at an absolutely astonishing pace by media and social media, and we don't do enough reflecting. Serong said while reading was a form of meditation and comfort, it could extend so much further to everyday life. "[Not reading] means that we don't see the patterns in things, we don't see the human behaviours that keep repeating in politics and public life because we're not doing the deep, slow thinking and books are vital to the deep, slow thinking." Ms Burkey said a 2015 study showed that people who read regularly were 58 per cent more empathetic, which she believed could have a "knock-on effect" for tolerance, social cohesion and democracy. "Reading is proven to help you understand your place in the world, to walk in other people's shoes," she said. Ms Burkey said it could also have economic and social impacts, and even health benefits. "Australia has a literacy problem," she said. "Forty-four per cent of Australians struggle with literacy, which is fairly similar to some other Western nations, but a pretty shocking number given how wealthy Australia is." "Reading brings down your blood pressure, it slows your heart rate, it calms you down and it allows focus and concentration in a world where our attention spans are getting ever more fragmented. "So reading allows us to have more focus and concentration and if you read regularly, you're more likely to sleep better at night." Ms Burkey said Australia needed a national strategy for reading that reminded people of the fun, comfort, entertainment and inspiration reading could bring. "Reading for pleasure as a child is one of the biggest indicators of future success as an adult, and spending time reading increases empathy, while helping us feel less anxious," she said. "Given the high anxiety rates amongst younger Australians growing up in a tumultuous world, reading offers the opportunity to relax, focus and ground ourselves for a while."
Irish Examiner
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Jack Kennedy records first win since injury break
Jack Kennedy struck on his seventh ride since his latest return from injury when partnering 11-8 favourite Kamikaz Du Plessis to a smooth win over Noticebox in the Shamrock Enterprises Maiden Hurdle in Wexford. 'It's brilliant — and I didn't have to wait too long, so it's great,' was Kennedy's reaction to his first success since March 8. 'He's a very slick jumper and I got a nice feel from him. He was borderline keen early, but relaxed and won well. He put it to bed easily, but was a bit green in front. He's a nice horse, with more to come.' Local Lad Conor Stone-Walsh enjoyed a 17-1 double, completed when Stay Gold, trained by another Wexford man Colm Murphy, had to dig deep to get the better of Coumenoole by a neck and justify even-money favouritism in the Thomas Donovan Construction Maiden Hurdle. The double had been initiated when Menas Miracle (8-1), trained by the rider's uncle Benny Walsh, landed a division of the (0-100) Clearwater Construction Handicap Hurdle at the expense of Onebrightbluerose, who was later disqualified as his rider Darragh O'Keeffe weighed in 1.5lb light. Matching Stone-Walsh's double was Brian Hayes who delivered on well-backed joint-favourite Highland Earl, for Liam Cusack, in the first division of the (0-100) Clearwater Construction Handicap Hurdle before the Willie Mullins-trained Fine Margin mastered two fellow chase debutants, Hms Seahorse and Al Gasparo in the MSK Silversand Beginners Chase. Hayes failed to complete a treble on uneasy odds-on favourite May Call You Back, bidding to add to a victory at Tipperary on Tuesday, in the Molloy Metal Recycling Handicap Chase, finishing fourth to the Mick Winters-trained Crowsatedappletart (Darragh O'Keeffe), who had finished third to the favourite on Tuesday. The featured Poolcourt Enginneering Handicap Chase went to Clarens, ridden for John Flavin by Danny Gilligan to a convincing win over Mr Saxobeat. 'He's electric to jump and the fences in Tramore and here suit him,' said Flavin, 'I told Danny to let him roll along. And the horse winged fences, outjumping them the whole way.' In Bellewstown, apprentice Nicola Burns brought the Ger Lyons-trained Empty Wallet (7-1) from last to first to take the Irish EBF Median Sires Series 2-Y-0 Maiden, in which stable-companion Carwyn was an eye-catching third. Lyons said: 'Experience in important around here and I told Nicola to ride the horse, not the track. This fellow is a nursery-type horse. And it's always a great thrill to have a winner for Seán (Jones) – he's been with me forever.' Apprentice Keithen Kennedy doubled-up, at odds of 135-1, on Mark Fahey's Daonethatgotaway in the Smiths Of Drogheda Ford Classic Handicap and the once-raced, Jessica Harrington-trained Sea Coral, who outpointed favourite Jannah Star in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden. And Abiding Star showed blistering early pace and held on grimly under Leigh Roche to foil fast-finishing favourite Viamonte in the five-furlong maiden.
Irish Examiner
02-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Rate of unemployment stays at 4% with 117,900 people out of work
The number of people unemployed in Ireland stood at 117,900 in June, estimates from the Central Statistics Office on Wednesday show. The rate of unemployment stood at 4% in June, unchanged from May. The seasonally adjusted number of people unemployed was 500 fewer than May 2025, and a fall of 8,200 compared with June 2024. The youth unemployment rate - people aged 15 to 24 years - was 10.7%, sightly down from the 11% reported in May. 'The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed males rose to 61,300 in June 2025, compared with 60,700 in May 2025. The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed females in June 2025 was 56,600, down from 57,700 in May 2025,' said CSO statistician Conor Delves. With talks on a new trade deal between the EU and the US ongoing, concerns surrounding Ireland's exposure to a wider trade war have been widespread, but appear to have not yet impacted the jobs market. 'Just how resilient the labour market is will be tested and watched closely over the coming months amid increased concerns about the Irish economy's vulnerability to global uncertainty and volatility,' said Jack Kennedy, senior economist at hiring platform Indeed. 'Hiring demand remains persistently healthy, despite having cooled, with monthly unemployment levels staying close to record lows.' Grant Thornton Ireland chief economist Andrew Webb said the unemployment figures provide comfort 'in the face of a pessimistic mood that is creeping into medium-sized Irish businesses'.
Powys County Times
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
No joy for Jack Kennedy on riding return at Tipperary
There was no joy for Jack Kennedy, as he made his return to the saddle with three rides at Tipperary on Tuesday. The Irish champion jockey broke his leg for a sixth time in November and despite making it back for the Cheltenham Festival in March he has been back on the sidelines since, missing showpiece meetings at Aintree and Punchestown as well as the conclusion of the 2024-25 Irish season. He linked up with long-time ally Gordon Elliott for all three mounts, with his first ride back aboard Royal Eagle who was sent off 5-2 for the Walter Hennessy Auctioneers Mares Beginners Chase and was prominent for a long way before weakening late in the day. It was a similar story aboard Lakota Blue (12-1) who was well held in the Baileys Hotel Cashel Beginners Chase, while Kennedy was also out of luck as the 8-11 favourite St Cuthbert's Cave could only finish third in the concluding Packie Downey Memorial Rated Novice Chase.
