Kilbeggan Races returns today (Friday)

Six sponsored races at Kilbeggan this evening

Kilbeggan Races has become a representation of all that is good in summer National Hunt racing, and of all the traditional values of Irish sport, like the GAA. It’s not just an institution in the Midlands, but a place where all ages feel comfortable in that wonderful mix of children, young adults, families and wise veterans.

With six sponsored races out of seven on the card, today’s meeting (starting at 5.10pm) is one not to be a missed, with large crowds expected to kick off the weekend, with a great evening of sport and entertainment.

First August holiday meeting
The first August holiday meeting was a great success with the weather holding off and the Best Dressed Ladies Competition bringing great interest. It was sponsored by Offaly-born Locky Murphy and rugby expert Brent Pope was a major attraction as one of the judges.

As manager Paddy Dunican stated: “Our 2018 season of racing is coming to an end with just two race meetings left. We are enjoying a very successful year at Kilbeggan Races with significant increases in attendances and sponsorship, which has been very much driven by the huge support we receive from local the business community and the public and civil service sector.”

After recent visits by the Taoiseach and then President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins. an international flavour was added with the attendance of British Ambassador, Robin Barnett, the Chinese Ambassador, Dr Yue Xiaoyong and the Hungarian Ambassador, Istvan Palffy, on the Saturday evening.

In racing terms, Barry Geraghty opened up with a double on Gordon Elliott’s Falak (10/1) and Jessica Harrington’s only runner Woodland Opera (5/2). The latter horse won seven races already and around €150,000 in prize money. Just 24 hours later her champion filly Alpha Centauri won her fourth Group 1 race on the trot and is the highest rated filly in Europe. If you want a tip it’s always worth following Jessica Harrington at Kilbeggan.

The most interesting horse at the meeting was the Willie Mullins trained Aramon (½), who won by eight lengths, and Ted Walsh had his first winner at Kilbeggan for a long time when Batcio easily won the bumper and got some joy out of beating the Willie Mullins trained Presenting Leah. Interestingly, Mullins’ horse Nessun Dorma won his maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan in 2017 and at this year’s Galway Festival went on to take the €100,000 Guinness Handicap at Galway.

Today’s card
It is only through the generosity of sponsors that horse racing can thrive and this meeting will provide plenty of competition and good prices, with six sponsored races.

The feature race on the evening is the Get Free Tips Daily On Attheraces.com Mares Novice Hurdle, the Hurley Family Maiden Hurdle is generously sponsored by Pat McCormack, a Kilbeggan native based in Lucan; the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle is sponsored by the Irish European Breeder’s Fund; the Michael Moore Car Sales Mercedes-Benz Beginner’s Chase is generously sponsored by Michael Moore Car Sales, Athlone and Portarlington; the Sean Hughes Memorial Handicap Steeplechase is sponsored by Josephine Hughes of the Mullingar Park Hotel; and the Kilmurray Hardware Ltd Mullingar Flat Race is sponsored by new sponsors Dermot and Conor Kilmurray.

A feature of Kilbeggan Races is the continuous success of the top trainers like Gordon Elliott, Willie Mullins, Henry De Bromhead, and Jessica Harrington. 

As Mullins has stated, he runs his horses in Kilbeggan because the ground is perfect for them.

Newstalk radio will be bringing their popular programme Off the Ball to Kilbeggan to do a programme about a day at the races, and it could be a chance for you to become part of the event on the day.

There will be a great atmosphere this evening, so it will be a chance for families young and old to get together, before the kids go back to school, in the warm sunshine of a Kilbeggan summer evening. Don’t forget that the first race starts at 5.10pm.