Irish horse racing has a long history and is deeply embedded as part of the culture. Irish racing attracts thousands of people every year, all excited about seeing the best thoroughbreds competing against each other. You should go once there if you enjoy going to the races or even if you have never been there, it is quite an atmosphere. Keep an eye on Dublin hotels special offers and seize the opportunity to discover Ireland.
1. Curragh Racecourse, Co. Kildare
Based in County Kildare, the Curragh is the most prestigious flat racecourse in Ireland. All four Classics take place here, the Irish Derby, Irish Oaks, Irish 2000 Guineas and Irish 1000 Guineas. This is something amazing to attend as the leading three-year-old-thoroughbreds in Europe race to see who is the best. Betting on those races is also very popular and you will always find a bookmaker if you want to place your bet before arriving at the track.
2. Ballybrit Racecourse, Co. Galway
National hunt racing is more your thing? Then go to Galway meeting and you will see horses jumping over hurdles and fences. This racecourse takes place during a seven-day festival every August and it attracts many horse racing enthusiasts. The racecourse is also very famous because it is where Pope John Paul II celebrated mass in 1979 in front of 280,000 people.
3. Laytown Racecourse, Co. Meath
This place is a unique spot to watch horse racing in the world. The race takes place at the beach since 1868 but nowadays there is only one meeting a year in September. This is a seven-furlong-straight-course along the beach where the best jockeys and trainers come to battle out.
4. Leopardstown Racecourse, Co. Dublin
This is one of the major racecourses in Ireland and it’s located 8km south of Dublin, flat and national hunt racing take place here. The Irish Champion Stakes is the biggest race of the year and it takes place annually in September. The facilities are of high quality as a lot of money was invested and it is reachable thanks to public transport from the different boutique hotels of Dublin city centre.
5. Punchestown Racecourse, Co. Kildare
Punchestown is known to be the main place when it comes to national hunt racing in Ireland and the biggest festival takes place every year in April. What makes it important too is that the meeting follows Cheltenham in the UK and often many of the rivals compete one more time before the end of the season.
