Curragh Racecourse facts for kids
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| Location | The Curragh County Kildare, County Kildare, Ireland |
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| Coordinates | 53°9′55″N 6°50′43″W / 53.16528°N 6.84528°W |
| Race type | Thoroughbred Flat |
| Notable races |
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The Curragh Racecourse is a famous place for horse racing in County Kildare, Ireland. It's known for hosting Ireland's five most important flat races. These are often called the Classics. Horse races happen here 23 days a year, from late March to late October. You can even take a tour of the racecourse on days when there are no races.
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The Curragh's History
The name "Curragh" comes from an Irish language word, Cuirreach. It means "place of the running horse." People have been racing horses here for a very long time. The first recorded race was in 1727. However, horses were likely racing on this plain even before that. The first big race called the Derby was held in 1866. Just two years later, in 1868, the Curragh was officially made a horse racing and training area by law.
Modernizing The Curragh Racecourse
The Curragh racecourse got a big makeover. Work on the main grandstand and other facilities started in 2017. It was all finished in time for the 2019 Irish Flat racing season. During the construction, races still took place. Temporary areas were set up for visitors to watch the events.
Horse Racing at The Curragh
The Curragh track is shaped like a horseshoe. It's known as a "right-handed" track, meaning horses turn mostly to the right. It's also a "galloping" track, which means horses can run very fast. The finish line is uphill, which makes it a tough test for the horses. The track is two miles long, with an extra one-mile section. All five of Ireland's top flat races, the Classics, are held here.
Top Jockeys at The Curragh
Many skilled jockeys have raced and won at The Curragh. Here are some of the best:
| Top Jockey | Wins | Rides | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny Murtagh | 330 | 1,943 | 17 |
| Mick Kinane | 327 | 1,968 | 17 |
| Kevin Manning | 256 | 2,600 | 10 |
| Pat Smullen | 238 | 2,275 | 10 |
| Christy Roche | 160 | 891 | 18 |
Top Trainers at The Curragh
Trainers help horses get ready for races. These trainers have had many winning horses at The Curragh:
| Top Trainer | Wins | Runs | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. P. O'Brien | 609 | 3,262 | 19 |
| J. S. Bolger | 391 | 3,558 | 11 |
| D. K. Weld | 340 | 3,203 | 11 |
| John M. Oxx | 330 | 2,321 | 14 |
| Kevin Predergast | 196 | 2,361 | 8 |
Training Grounds for Horses
The Curragh has huge training grounds, about 1,500 acres in size. This gives trainers lots of space to get their horses ready. There are 70 miles of grass tracks (called gallops). There are also 12 miles of peat gallops and eight all-weather tracks. Between 2020 and 2021, all the all-weather tracks were updated. The "Old Vic" woodchip gallop is 9 furlongs long. It's Ireland's most popular all-weather track and a great test for any racehorse.
Famous Horses Who Raced Here
Many amazing racehorses have run at The Curragh. They often became big winners in other major races around the world. The track is known for being fair. This means it often attracts very good two-year-old horses. Many of these young horses make their first race appearance right here at The Curragh.
| Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Race Won | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballymoss | M. V. O'Brien | T. P. Burns | Irish Derby | 1957 |
| Meadow Court | P. J Prendergast | L. Piggott | Irish Derby | 1965 |
| Sir Ivor | M. V. O'Brien | L. Ward | National Stakes | 1967 |
| Nijinsky | M. V. O'Brien | L. Ward | Irish Derby | 1970 |
| Roberto | M. V. O'Brien | J. Roe | National Stakes | 1971 |
| The Minstrel | M. V. O'Brien | L. Piggott | Irish Derby | 1977 |
| Alleged | M. V. O'Brien | L. Piggott | Royal Whip Stakes | 1977 & 1978 |
| Storm Bird | M. V. O'Brien | T. Murphy | National Stakes | 1980 |
| Shergar | M. Stoute | L. Piggott | Irish Derby | 1981 |
| El Gran Senor | M. V. O'Brien | P. Eddery | National Stakes / Irish Derby | 1983/1984 |
| Sadler's Wells | M. V. O'Brien | G. McGrath | Irish 2,000 Guineas | 1984 |
| Vintage Crop | D. K. Weld | M. J. Kinane | Irish St Leger | 1993/1994 |
| Salsabil | J. Dunlop | W. Carson | Irish Derby | 1990 |
| Rodrigo De Triano | P. Chapple Hyam | J. Reid | Irish 2,000 Guineas | 1992 |
| St Jovite | J. Bolger | C. Roche | Irish Derby | 1992 |
| Ridgewood Pearl | John Oxx | J. P. Murtagh | Irish 1,000 Guineas | 1995 |
| Kayf Tara | Saeed Bin Suroor | Frankie Dettori | Irish St Leger | 1998/1999 |
| Montjeu | J. Hammond | Cash Asmussen | Irish Derby | 1999 |
| Sinndar | John Oxx | J. P. Murtagh | National Stakes / Irish Derby | 1999/2000 |
| Hawk Wing | A. P. O'Brien | M. J. Kinane | National Stakes | 2001 |
| Galileo | A. P. O'Brien | M. J. Kinane | Irish Derby | 2001 |
| Vinnie Roe | D. K. Weld | P. J. Smullen | Irish St Leger | 2001/2002/2003/2004 |
| High Chapparal | A. P. O'Brien | M. J. Kinane | Irish Derby | 2002 |
| Rock of Gibraltar | A. P. O'Brien | M. J. Kinane | Irish 2,000 Guineas | 2002 |
| Attraction | Mark Johnston | Kevin Darley | Irish 1,000 Guineas | 2004 |
| Ouija Board | Ed Dunlop | L. Dettori | Irish Oaks | 2004 |
| Dubawi | Saeed Bin Suroor | L. Dettori | National Stakes | 2004 |
| George Washington | A. P. O'Brien | Kieren Fallon | National Stakes | 2005 |
| Hurricane Run | Andre Fabre | Kieren Fallon | Irish Derby | 2005 |
| Teofilo | J. S. Bolger | Kevin Manning | National Stakes | 2006 |
| Dylan Thomas | A. P. O'Brien | Kieren Fallon | Irish Derby | 2006 |
| New Approach | J. S. Bolger | Kevin Manning | National Stakes | 2007 |
| Yeats | A. P. O'Brien | Kieren Fallon | Irish St Leger | 2007 |
| Halfway To Heaven | A. P. O'Brien | Seamus Heffernan | Irish 1,000 Guineas | 2008 |
| Camelot | A. P. O'Brien | J. P. O'Brien | Irish Derby | 2012 |
| Australia | A. P. O'Brien | J. P. O'Brien | Irish Derby | 2014 |
| Kingman | J. Gosden | James Doyle | Irish 2,000 Guineas | 2014 |
| Minding | A. P. O'Brien | Seamus Heffernan | Moyglare Stud Stakes | 2015 |
| Winter | A. P. O'Brien | Ryan Moore | Irish 1,000 Guineas | 2017 |
| Enable | J. Gosden | L. Dettori | Irish Oaks | 2017 |
| Alpha Centauri | Jessica Harrington | Colm O'Donoghue | Irish 1,000 Guineas | 2018 |
Getting to The Curragh
Bus and Coach Services
On race days, it's easy to get to The Curragh. Free shuttle buses run from Kildare railway station and the town square. You can also catch a free bus from Newbridge town's railway station and Main Street. For bigger race days, Expressway buses offer services from Dublin City centre directly to the racecourse.
Old Railway Stations
The racecourse used to have its own railway stations. Curragh Mainline opened in 1846 on the main Dublin–Cork line. Later, in 1875, Curragh Racecourse station opened. It was at the end of a short track that went right to the grandstand. Curragh Racecourse station closed in 1977. The tracks were removed after that. Curragh Mainline stopped being used in the early 2000s.
