Curragh Racecourse

The Curragh
Location Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland
Coordinates 53°9′55″N 6°50′43″W / 53.16528°N 6.84528°W / 53.16528; -6.84528Coordinates: 53°9′55″N 6°50′43″W / 53.16528°N 6.84528°W / 53.16528; -6.84528
Race type Thoroughbred Flat
Notable races
  • Irish 1,000 Guineas (G1)
  • Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1)
  • Irish Derby (G1)
  • Irish Oaks (G1)
  • Irish St. Leger (G1)
Official website

The Curragh Racecourse, usually referred to as simply The Curragh, is Ireland's most important Thoroughbred racecourse. It is situated on the Curragh plain in County Kildare, between the towns of Newbridge and Kildare.

History

The name "Curragh" comes from the Irish (Gaeilge) word Cuirreach, meaning "place of the running horse". The first recorded race on the plain took place in 1727, but it was used for races before then.[1] The first Derby was held in 1866, and in 1868 the Curragh was officially declared a horse racing and training facility by act of parliament.

Racing

The course is right-handed, about two miles long and horseshoe-shaped. Races up to one mile are run on a straight course. Additionally there are several training facilities on the site.

The Curragh offers the highest purses and highest quality level of flat racing in Ireland. In 2007, ten of Ireland's twelve Group One races were held at the track.

The racecourse in 2007

Notable races

Month DOW Race Name Type Grade Distance Age/Sex
March Sunday Park Express Stakes Flat Group 3 1m 3yo + f
April Sunday Gladness Stakes Flat Group 3 7f 3yo +
May Monday Athasi Stakes Flat Group 3 7f 3yo +
May Monday Mooresbridge Stakes Flat Group 3 1m 2f 4yo +
May Monday Tetrarch Stakes Flat Listed 7f 3yo only
May Saturday Ridgewood Pearl Stakes Flat Group 3 1m 4yo + f
May Saturday Irish 2,000 Guineas Flat Group 1 1m 3yo only
May Saturday Greenlands Stakes Flat Group 3 6f 3yo +
May Sunday Irish 1,000 Guineas Flat Group 1 1m 3yo only f
May Sunday Gallinule Stakes Flat Group 3 1m 2f 3yo only
May Sunday Tattersalls Gold Cup Flat Group 1 1m 2f 110y 4yo +
June Friday International Stakes Flat Group 3 1m 2f 3yo +
June Saturday Irish Derby Flat Group 1 1m 4f 3yo only
June Saturday Railway Stakes Flat Group 2 6f 2yo only
June Saturday Sapphire Stakes Flat Group 3 5f 3yo +
June Sunday Curragh Cup Flat Group 3 1m 6f 3yo +
June Sunday Pretty Polly Stakes Flat Group 1 1m 2f 3yo + f
June Sunday Balanchine Stakes Flat Group 3 6f 2yo only f
July Saturday Anglesey Stakes Flat Group 3 6f 63y 2yo only
July Saturday Minstrel Stakes Flat Group 3 7f 3yo +
July Saturday Irish Oaks Flat Group 1 1m 4f 3yo only f
July Sunday Kilboy Estate Stakes Flat Group 2 1m 1f 3yo + f
August Sunday Phoenix Sprint Stakes Flat Group 3 6f 3yo +
August Sunday Phoenix Stakes Flat Group 1 6f 2yo only
August Sunday Debutante Stakes Flat Group 2 7f 2yo only
August Sunday Royal Whip Stakes Flat Group 3 1m 2f 3yo +
August Saturday Futurity Stakes Flat Group 2 7f 2yo only
August Saturday Flying Five Stakes Flat Group 3 5f 3yo +
August Saturday Curragh Stakes Flat Listed 5f 2yo only
August Saturday Irish St Leger Trial Stakes Flat Group 3 1m 6f 3yo +
September Sunday Moyglare Stud Stakes Flat Group 1 7f 2yo only f
September Sunday Lanwades Stud Fillies' Stakes Flat Group 3 1m 1f 3yo + f
September Sunday Round Tower Stakes Flat Group 3 6f 2yo only
September Saturday Renaissance Stakes Flat Group 3 6f 3yo +
September Saturday Blandford Stakes Flat Group 2 1m 2f 3yo + f
September Sunday Vincent O'Brien Stakes Flat Group 1 7f 2yo only
September Sunday Solonaway Stakes Flat Group 2 1m 3yo +
September Sunday Irish St. Leger Flat Group 1 1m 6f 3yo +
September Sunday C. L. Weld Park Stakes Flat Group 3 7f 2yo only f
September Sunday Beresford Stakes Flat Group 2 1m 2yo only

All five Irish classics are run at The Curragh.

Transport

Bus and coach

On race days, there are shuttle buses from Kildare railway station to The Curragh. Dublin Coach's routes to Portlaoise and Ennis also serve the racecourse on these days.[2]

Former railway stations

The racecourse was once served by two railway stations: Curragh Mainline on the main Dublin–Cork line, which opened in 1846, and Curragh Racecourse at the end of a short branch to the grandstand, which opened in 1875. Curragh Racecourse station closed in 1977 and the branch was subsequently lifted, while Curragh Mainline fell into disuse in the early 2000s.[3][4]

References

  1. ↑ Curragh.ie – About/History
  2. ↑ "Go to the Races – Bus Services to Curragh Racecourse". Dublin Coach. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  3. ↑ Ayres, Bob (2003). "Irish Railway Stations" (PDF). Railscot. Retrieved 23 September 2007.
  4. ↑ "Curragh". eiretrains.com. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
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