Curragh Racecourse facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
The Curragh

Location	Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland
Coordinates	53°9′55″N 6°50′43″W / 53.16528°N 6.84528°W / 53.16528; -6.84528
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)

The Curragh Racecourse, often just called the Curragh, is one of Ireland's most important places for Thoroughbred horse racing. It is located on the Curragh plain in County Kildare, between the towns of Newbridge and Kildare. It's a famous spot where many top racehorses are trained and compete.

History of The Curragh Racecourse

An old picture of The Curragh racecourse from the 1800s.

The word "Curragh" comes from the Irish language word Cuirreach. This means "place of the running horse". People have been racing horses here for a very long time. The first official race recorded was in 1727. However, horse races likely happened on the plain even before that.

The first big race called the Derby was held here in 1866. Then, in 1868, the Curragh was officially made a horse racing and training area by law. This meant it was a special place just for horses.

Modernizing the Racecourse

The Curragh racecourse started a big project in 2017 to make its main building (the grandstand) and other facilities better. This work was finished in time for the 2019 Irish Flat racing season. During the building work, races still happened, but with temporary setups for visitors.

Horse Racing at The Curragh

The Curragh track is designed for right-handed races. It's shaped like a horseshoe and is known for being a "galloping" track. This means horses can run very fast here. It also has a challenging uphill finish, which tests the horses' strength. The track is two miles long and includes a special one-mile straight section.

The Curragh is home to all five of Ireland's most important flat horse races, known as the Irish Flat Classics. These are some of the biggest races in the country.

Johnny Murtagh has won over 300 races at The Curragh.

Many skilled jockeys have raced and won at The Curragh. Here are some of the top jockeys and their records:

Trainer A. P. O'Brien has trained winners in over 600 races at The Curragh.

Trainers are also very important in horse racing. They prepare the horses for their races. Here are some of the most successful trainers at The Curragh:

Training Horses at The Curragh

The Curragh is not just for races; it's also a huge training ground for horses. Trainers can prepare their horses on about 1,500 acres of special facilities. This includes 70 miles of grass tracks (called turf gallops). There are also about 12 miles of peat gallops and eight all-weather tracks. These different surfaces help horses train in all kinds of weather.

Famous Horses at The Curragh

Sea The Stars, a world champion from 2009, was trained at The Curragh by John Oxx.

Many amazing racehorses have run at The Curragh before becoming famous worldwide. Because the track is fair and challenging, it often attracts very talented young horses. Many of these future champions have their very first races right here at The Curragh.

Getting to The Curragh

Bus and Coach Travel

On days when races are happening, special shuttle buses run from Kildare railway station to The Curragh. Also, some regular bus routes, like those going to Portlaoise and Ennis, stop at the racecourse on these days.

Old Railway Stations

The racecourse used to have two railway stations. One was Curragh Mainline, which opened in 1846 on the main Dublin–Cork line. The other was Curragh Racecourse, which opened in 1875. This second station was at the end of a short track that led right to the grandstand. Curragh Racecourse station closed in 1977, and its tracks were later removed. Curragh Mainline stopped being used in the early 2000s.

Images for kids

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  2009 World Champion Sea The Stars trained on the Curragh by John Oxx