The Curragh is back! Flat season re-opens on March 25 with Newbridge Gospel Choir and exciting racing action
The Curragh is back!
The 2023 season starts on Saturday, March 25 with the opening of the new flat racing season - the first of their 23 days taking place this Saturday.
The superb Newbridge Gospel Choir will welcome racegoers at the entrance in advance of the packed eight race programme, featuring the Paddy Power Irish Lincolnshire Handicap and Lodge Park Stud Park Express Stakes.
A variety of parade ring chats and previews with leading trainers and jockeys, as they look forward to the season, together with a number of very special guests. A new Kids Zone featuring the Kildare GAA Skills Zone will be launched for the first time with free activities for younger racegoers throughout the afternoon.
The race day will also include an innovative fund raising initiative sponsored by the racecourse featuring thirty three GAA clubs from all over County Kildare who have signed up to take part. Each Club will be drawn a horse running in the Paddy Power Irish Lincolnshire, where a €10,000 pot will be split between the clubs who have drawn the first three placed horses Large crowds are expected to attend from all over the county to cheer on their horse on what will be a family fun day with lots of free activities for kids and all are encouraged to wear their club jerseys and colours.
Tickets
The Curragh have launched special ticket price offers with great value early bird ticket prices available for purchase throughout the year on curragh.ie, while a new “Curragh Bundle” is available for all race days comprising of admission, racecard, €5 Tote bet and €10 voucher which can be redeemed in any of the public food outlets
Early bird tickets are available for day one of the season with a 25% discount, including a weekend ticket to attend The Curragh on Saturday and Naas on Sunday - available for €25 online.
There is also the option to become a Curragh Member with benefits including admission to all 23 days of racing together with a variety of benefits and privileges.
Under 18s are always admitted free to the races, when accompanied by an adult
Free shuttle bus available
The racecourse continues to provide a free shuttle bus service in association with Manguard Plus to and from Newbridge and Kildare for all race days.
Curragh sponsors continue to support Stable Staff and Owners
Moyglare Stud has generously agreed to continue supporting the stable staff canteen at the Curragh this year. The canteen provides a complimentary meals on racedays. The Curragh’s owners and trainers facilities will be enhanced through the support of Tattersalls. This will see the owners’restaurant and lounge relocating to Level 3 of the grandstand, allowing for the champagne bar and Orby’s Bistro to return as general public facilities.
Fitzers Catering will offer a wide variety of food and beverage options throughout the racecourse, while it is planned to enhance the offering by introducing some local food producers during the festival meetings. A new Spar shop will be open for the first time located in Champions Hall
Exciting line up for 2023 season
The inaugural Lester Piggott Gladness Stakes will be the feature race on day 2 of the season on 16th April and will feature a fascinating exhibition celebrating the career of the legendary jockey.
The popular Newbridge Parishes Community Family Race Day takes place on Bank Holiday Monday 1st June, while the Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival takes place over three days this year from 26th to 28th May, kicking off with a very lively evening meeting on the Friday with a free concert by Abbaesque
The inaugural Relay for Life Race Evening takes place on Wednesday 7th June, in advance of Relay for Life the following weekend.
The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival starts on Friday 30th June with Funky Friday featuring Qween, renowned as the best Queen tribute band in Europe. Saturday is themed as Ladies Day, while Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Day returns to a Sunday for the first time since 2012.
Juddmonte Irish Oaks Weekend will feature the ultimate style prizes on 22nd July, while the August Summer Series kicks off on 12th August with the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes. Race days also take place on 19th and 20th, while Pat Smullen Race Day on 26th August will be a major fund raising event for Cancer Trials Ireland having accumulated €180,000 last year.
Irish Champions Weekend will be the first of three race days in September on 10th September and the Autumn Festival taking place on 23rd and 24th September will incorporate Taste of Kildare.
Three race days take place in October on 7th, 12th and 25th, while The Curragh will bring the 2023 flat racing season to a close on 5th November.
The Curragh Race Days 2023
25th March
Kildare GAA Club Day
Paddy Power Irish Lincolnshire, Lodge Park Stud Park Express Stakes
16th April
Lester Piggott Gladness Stakes, Tote Alleged Stakes
1st May
Newbridge Parishes Community Day
Coolmore Circus Maximus Athasi Stakes, Coolmore Sottsass Mooresbridge Stakes
26th to 28th May
Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival
Friday: Novibet Emerald Mile
Saturday: Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes
Sunday: Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas, Tattersalls Gold Cup
7th June
Relay for Life Race Evening
Sky Bet Race to the Ebor Handicap
30th June to 2nd July
Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival
Funky Friday
Saturday: Pretty Polly Stakes
Sunday: Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby
22nd to 23rd July
Juddmonte Irish Oaks Weekend
Saturday: Juddmonte Irish Oaks, Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes, Comer Group International Curragh Cup
Sunday: Romanised Minstrel Stakes, Rathbride Stakes. Family themed day
12th August
August Summer Series
Keeneland Phoenix Stakes, Rathasker Stud Phoenix Sprint. Family themed day
19th August
Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes, Coolmore Woolton Bassett Futurity Stakes
20th August
Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial, Fitzdares Royal Whip Stakes
26th August
Autumn Summer Series/Pat Smullen Race Day in aid of Cancer Trials Ireland
Irish Cambridgshire, Snow Fairy Stakes, Heider Family Stables Round Tower Stakes, Newtownanner Stud Stakes
10th September
Irish Champions Weekend
Comer Group International Irish St Leger, Moyglare Stud Stakes, Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes, Al Basti Equiworld Flying Five
22nd to 23rd September
Autumn Festival featuring Taste of Kildare
Saturday: Goffs Million, Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford Stakes
Sunday: Friends of The Curragh Irish Cesarewitch
7th October
Brigid’s Pastures Stakes
Staffordstown Stud Stakes
12th October
Student Derby
25th October
Amateur Riders Derby
5th November
Finale of the season
Comer Group International Loughbrown Stakes, Movember Finale Stakes