It doesn’t matter if you’re betting from a race track or betting from your armchair sitting at home; horse racing betting is one of the most popular activities in Ireland.
Admittedly, horse racing doesn’t share the same popularity as a spectator sport as it does a betting sport. However, regarding the betting interest in horse racing, it’s undoubtedly the most popular betting activity in the country. With more than 1.3 million participants annually and hundreds of bookmakers taking bets on racing, several racetracks attract some of the largest crowds anywhere.
Tipperary
The Tipperary conducts a blend of racing events from April through October, including the premier National Hunt (jump) and Flat ground racing. The busy season for the Tipperary is mid-summer, but its most significant events can be attended every first Sunday in October.
On that day, you’ll be treated to the graded National Hunt (jump) and Group race on the Flat, listed on one card. Thousands attend the races annually and then participate in evening activities after the sun sets, making it a well-rounded social event that includes sports and vibrant nightlife.
Listowel
The Harvest Festival at Listowel has the distinction of being one of the longest-running racing events in Ireland. The event is held every September and lasts a full seven days, and it never fails to draw a large crowd of spectators in betters who participate in a long list of activities held on and off track.
You’ll find competitive events for men, women, and couples in fashion featuring vintage and sustainable formal attire, denim, and celebrity guests entertained by live bands. There are also family activities that include a petting farm with various animals available to entertain children. There are free balloons, face painting, and surprise visits by Mickey Mouse and Coco Melon.
Leopardstown
You’ll enjoy many significant races featuring over fences, on the flat, and over hurdles at Dublin’s Leopardstown racetrack. Races are held all year long, and Leopardstown hosts the opening day of the iris Champions Weekend, the BHP Insurance Irish Champion hurdle, the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, and the unit that Irish Gold cup.
It’s a wide, left-handed oval track, about one and three-quarters miles long. It features easy turns in a relatively level way with various challenges depending on the course used.
Curragh
The Curragh Racecourse is noted as Ireland’s most significant Thoroughbred race track. It’s located on the famous Curragh plain in County Kildare, nestled among the towns of Newbridge and Kildare. It’s a right-handed course, approximately two miles long and shaped like a horseshoe with straight mile-long raceways for course runs. The highest winning purses and best quality flat racing in all of Ireland is found here, and it’s the home of five Irish flat Classics.
Weekend festivities include the Taste of Kildare, which attracts thousands of hungry foodies and race fans throughout the island. You’ll enjoy samples of delicious locally-produced foods and prepared dishes.
Galway
The Galway Festival is a seven-day mixed event consisting of the National Hunt and Flat racing attended by more than hundred and 150,000 spectators from across the nation. The Galway Plate takes center stage as the week’s event, after which the famous Galway hurdle commands the spotlight.
Family activities year toward entertaining children includes the wildly spectacular “Mad Hatter’s day,” complete with fabulous prizes up for grabs.
Conclusion
Irish thoroughbreds have recently experienced significant success in winning major global races. Several horses have been victorious in British 2000 guineas, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Epson derby, and these are three of the most prominent European horse races. From 2008 two 2013, of the six Epson derby events, Irish racehorses placed 20 out of 30 slots and won a total of five times.
The success of Irish bread horses in global competitions has encouraged horse race betting at an accelerated rate and is close to becoming the national pastime. Ireland has become a world leader in betting primarily because of its strict regulatory environment that emphasizes the safety and privacy of betters. Few countries in the world offer a more inviting and entertaining sports betting environment than what’s found in Ireland.
