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CHAMPIONS WEEKEND
VISITOR GUIDEAll You Need For A Great Weekend
Get Your Heart Racing
Book online or Call us on +353 45 522795IRISH CHAMPIONS WEEKEND
World Class Racing, Fashion, Food and Entertainment
The 2019 Longines Irish Champions Weekend is the pinnacle of the Irish flat race season where a host of international Jockeys, Trainers and Equine superstars come to do battle at Leopardstown and The Curragh for the €4.5m prize money on offer.
Unique in racing, as it is staged over two fabulous days on two different courses, Longines Irish Champions Weekend is a must see event for any serious racing fan. Do Not Miss It!
Find out all about the racecourses, side-trips, what to see and do, where to eat, what to wear and the many events that are part of the 2019 Longines Irish Champions Weekend below.
Saturday 14th September
Leopardstown
First Race at 3.20pm
Last Race at 7.15pm
Sunday 15th September
The Curragh
First Race at 2pm
Last Race at 6pm
Guest Packages
Race & Stay™ are Ireland's Premier Horse Racing Tour Company and we are proud to be the Official Travel Package Partner for Longines Irish Champions Weekend yet again this year. We have excellent value Silver, Gold and Platinum Guest packages that suit all group sizes and budgets. Check out our great value Race & Stay Packages to suit all group sizes and budgets and starting from only €139 per guest.
The Racecourses
The Curragh
The Curragh Racecourse is located on a large grassy plain approximately 50km from Dublin Airport and City center on the main M7 / N7 motorway route in the “Horse County” of
Kildare, one of the world’s foremost racing and breeding areas.
Steeped in racing history from the early 17th century the Curragh runs all 5 classic races throughout the season starting in late May with the Irish Guineas Weekend, late June for the Irish Derby Festival, mid– July for the Irish Oaks and early September for the Irish St Leger, now part of the fabulous Longines Irish Champions Weekend.
Aside from the 5 “classics” the Curragh also runs on 13 other race days often featuring high class group racing with some of the best international horses and jockeys taking part in truly enthralling racing action.
The Curragh is not just a racecourse, the vast plain encompasses Irish Army barracks, training facilities, an equine pool, golf courses and is also home to many of the best trainers in the country. A wide racecourse with wonderful limestone turf of nearly 2 miles in horseshoe shape the horses run right handed across mildly undulating plain to a slightly uphill finish. It is widely recognized as one, if not the best, racecourses in the world.
The Curragh is lovely track. In general the round courses are very fair, but one thing I would say is that the Derby track is quite different to the Plate track. It’s quite deceptive when looking at it from the stands, but there’s an awful lot of turning on the Derby track and a low draw is definitely a help. When they move the running rail out into the middle of the straight track, the draw isn’t quite as important, but high numbers are still best. Mick Kinnane Hall of Fame Jockey
