Summer Sunday Festival at Kilbeggan a bank holiday treat
The Summer Sunday Festival of racing will be on Sunday week, June 5 at Kilbeggan Racecourse, starting at 2.10pm.
Already there have been three successful and enjoyable meetings this year, showing that Kilbeggan Races is one of the great social events in the midlands.
It’s in the centre of the country, which makes it accessible and not too far away from any county. The objective for people is to have a great evening with fun, excitement, glamour, music and great racing over the jumps.
Manager Paddy Dunican sums up the occasion: “The Summer Sunday Festival provides excitement, colour, and thrilling racing in a brilliant atmosphere, and it’s about people enjoying themselves in a relaxed atmosphere. It’s a great opportunity for a group of friends to get together; for a family outing; and some great competitive racing over the jumps on a Bank Holiday weekend.
“The first three meetings were very successful and this holiday meeting should not be missed by the young or the young at heart. In addition, attendances have increased over the first three meetings”.
Great champions and featured races
The last meeting was exciting as two champion horses were paraded in Kilbeggan to a delighted crowd. Freewheelin Dylan won the Irish Grand National last year at 150/1 and the Midlands Grand National in Kilbeggan for trainer Dermot McLoughlin. Amazingly, McLoughlin went on to win the Irish Grand National again this year with Lord Lariat, who was bred in Drum, near Athlone.
Gavin Cromwell trained Flooring Porter to win the Paddy Power’s Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham two years in succession for a syndicate of 30 people. The two great horses were paraded around Kilbeggan at the last meeting to the delight of the attendance and received a great reception.
Gordon Elliott’s Level Neverending had a battle in the betting with Willie Mullin’s Baby Zeus in a maiden hurdle but he won easily in the end by eight lengths. Mullins’ horse Hors Piste who ran at Cheltenham and was third in a Grade 1 at Fairyhouse, showed his class by winning the novice hurdle easily.
The John Patrick Ryan trained Bonarc owned by the interesting Mules and Tools syndicate proved that the horse was no “mule” in the handicap hurdle by winning by 10 lengths.
Sunday week's meeting will have two featured races with JP McManus sponsoring the Adare Manor Hurdle race and the Entegro Handicap Chase of €20,000 is sponsored by them. Entegro is at the forefront of telecommunications technology and they work with communities, industries, and service providers.
A special project supported by Kilbeggan Racecourse is Hooves 4 Hospice which is a Lions Clubs fundraising project with a target of €1 million to go towards the cost of the new Midland Regional Hospice. Thanks to the generosity of farmers in particular and the wider agri sector in general that challenging target is within reach. Kilbeggan Racecourse is pleased to support this very worthwhile initiative.
Music in the air
Music will be in the air on the track with a live band Gorilla Radio playing in the marquee and a DJ on the track. Formed 13 years ago, Gorilla Radio have graced most of the well-known pubs and clubs in Ireland to this point.
With their high-energy on-stage presence and an eclectic mix of old and modern pop and rock covers, this band know how to entertain, whether you’re into Ed Sheeran, Queen and everything in between. Gorilla Radio will have you dancing the night away!
Special Discount Packages
Kilbeggan Races’ normal admission ticket to our race meetings is €15. They are offering special discounts for staff, customers and friends on admission tickets at €12 each for groups of 10 or more.
Summer Party Pack Packages
Kilbeggan Races have a Special Discounted Summer Party Pack from €23 per person which includes admission ticket plus 2 X €5 food/ drink vouchers and free race card for groups of 10 or more. Book tickets online to avail of our discounts on www.kilbegganraces.com