Paddy Power bookmakers have offered Tracy a €500 bet each day of the Galway Racing Festival and with a bit of luck, the big winnings will go to Playing for Life. So watch out for Tracy’s Tips each day on this website and on Facebook and if you are making a bet – make sure you bet with Paddy Power!

Monday: I really like Apt Manor in the 8.35pm race and A word Apart in the 6.20pm but the odds will be too short for a charity bet so I'm going to go instead for Ballyhaunis in the 7pm Race with €200 each way and just to show my confidence I'm also going to put €50 each way on Galianna in the same race!!!

Tuesday: Well, I got a good price on Ballyhaunis so won about €800 so I am told! Gallianna is still running! Today, I am putting €125 each way on the no 14 Mujaazef and €125 on no 9 If per Chance with my good friend, Fran Berry on board.  I think Universal Truth will win the first race but it will be too much of a favourite for my charity bet.  Thanks again, Paddy!

Wednedsay: Last night,  my pal Fran came in 3rd on 'If per chance' so covered myself last night otherwise I'm not having much success! Today, I'm putting €100 to win on no. 2  'Final Day' in the 3pm race and on the 5.25pm race I'm putting €100 each way on no 8 ' Cuan na Grai' and €100 each way on no 11 'Majestic Concorde' in the same race.  Fingers Crossed!

Thursday: We had no luck yesterday with only Majestic Concorde coming in thrid to save my blushes! Today anything could win with all the races really tight so I am spreading my wings a little.  I'm going for €100 each way in the big race - The Guinness Galway Hurdle at 4.50pm - no 5  'Lethal Weapon' and same again on no 10 ' Dirar' (just showing how confident I am at this betting business!).  I am also going for no 16 in the 5.30 race ' Malande' with €25 each way and €50 win on 'The Age of Aquarius' running in the big race at Goodwood at 3.25pm.  Hopefully, I can make up some of the lost ground. 

Friday: Today is the last day of our Charity bets so I am going for broke and hoping to make up all the lost ground. I'm going for no 6 - Carutomark - in the first race and €100 to win. In the 2nd race, I pick no 1-  Hanginthebalance - with €200 each way and I'm putting €200 to win on no. 2 - Salute him in the last race. Think I best stick to the day job!   

Get That Job!

Interviewing Skills for Life offers powerful tips on how to be more resourceful, productive and focused in your quest for landing the all important interview whilst also helping the poorest of the poor in Africa. It will be available throughout the Galway Races at the Ballybrit racetrack for €10 or can be sent direct from our charity office for €10 plus €3 P&P (standard). To order your copy, click here or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Congratulations to our two volunteers, Chris Averill and Jerome Kilkenny, who have just reached the top of Kilimanjaro this morning and sent us a text! Chris and Jerome have been working with Orla McGrath in the Resource Centre in Arusha, Tanzania and upgrading the computers and teaching a computer maintanence programme to the local community.  We wish them well for their descent and look forward to hearing all about the experience! Well done, lads!

Aine Gilligan and all the pupils at Scoil Mhuire, Mountsackville, Casleknock are planning to give used and new crayons, pencils,  new colouring books and paper, copies for all our little friends in the Playing for life kindergartens and schools in Africa.

Calling on everyone to dig deep in the school bags, kitchen presses, office desks and pack them up and post or deliver to Playing for Life.