Kilbeggan’s Summer Racing Festival next Saturday

After the recent thrills and spills of the Axa Farm Insurance Midlands National worth €100,000, it might seem that that it couldn’t be better at Kilbeggan Races.

However, for the last few years it has been followed up by Kilbeggan’s Summer Festival of Racing on a Saturday in early August, during the holiday period. This year, it’s an extra special event, and it will commence next Saturday August 10 at 5.35pm; you should be there early to enjoy the fun.

Midlands National Meeting

In spite of the rain and the odd thunderstorm, a huge crowd turned out for the Midlands National Meeting. Turnout was the operative word in the Best Dressed Ladies Competition, which was won by a young primary school teacher, Maria Coughlan from Malahide in Dublin.

The prize, sponsored by Bellamianta Luxury Tan and the Wineport Lodge, was worth €5,000. It was a great success, and added very much to the excitement of the Axa Midlands National, which produced a heart-stopping finish, when Gordon Elliott’s Barra – ridden by Rachel Blackmore – looked a certainty until dramatically falling at the last. This led to a Hollywood-style finish with J Motherway’s horse Na Trachtálaí Abú beating Joseph O’Brien’s Tesseract in a photo finish.

The trainer’s punchline was: “We’ll take all the luck we can get” . Trainer R P Cody had his first ever winner with Razoul at the meeting.

Sponsored races and Best Dressed Lady

Paddy Dunican, Manager, stated: “We are continuing to experience a significant growth in the number of new people coming to our race meetings and also a massive growth in new companies sponsoring races.

“Our new AXA Farm Insurance Midlands National of €100,000 attracted a huge crowd on July 19 last. We are looking forward to our Summer Saturday Festival and this race meeting provides excitement, colour, and thrilling racing in a brilliant atmosphere.

“Our Best Dressed Ladies have embodied class, style and confidence year after year, the competition.”

Four of the seven races on the card are sponsored, including the opening maiden hurdle and the bumper by Bet Victor, one of the world’s largest independent bookmakers, with customers over 150 different countries. They are the headline sponsors of the Cheltenham November Festival in Britain, including the Bet Victor Gold Cup.

John Mahon, New York (originally from Longford) is sponsoring the Pig ‘n’ Whistle Pubs and Restaurants Hurdle. The Devitts, Doheny and Nesbitt Maiden Hurdle is generously sponsored by Tom and Paul Mangan of the Mangan Group, Dublin. Tom Mangan is originally from Rhode in Co. Offaly. The Joe Cooney is also sponsored by the Bank House Family, Kilbeggan.

The ladies are not forgotten, as the Kilbeggan Best Dressed Lady Competition will take place, with the winner receiving a fabulous prize of €2,000 in cash. It will be a great occasion, and to add to it, there will be live music, with an August holiday atmosphere in the air; families and children on holidays; summer parties; the scent of a winner for the punters; and the whiff of food with a cool drink. What more can you ask for at a summer festival?

The seven races will commence at 5.35pm. Admission for adults to the event is €15. OAPs and students are €12, and children under 16 are free (with free entertainment for kids).

We are offering special discounts for staff, customers and friends for a group of 10 or more, with a special discounted admission of €12 per person.

We also have our Summer Party Pack, which includes an admission ticket, a €5 drink voucher, a €5 food voucher and a free race card at just €22 per person for a group of 10 or more. Book now at www.kilbegganraces.com.