Dundalk Stadium

Dundalk Stadium

Location	Racecourse Road, Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland, Ireland
Coordinates	54°01′15″N6°23′00″W / 54.020896°N 6.383218°W / 54.020896; -6.383218
Date opened	2003
Race type	horse & greyhound racing
Official website

Dundalk Stadium is a horse and greyhound racing venue in Ireland. It is located to the north of Dundalk in County Louth. ^[1]

The total build cost €35million with a modern grandstand, elevated viewing areas, restaurant and bars.

Horse racing

The Dundalk all-weather horse track to go alongside the new greyhound track that had opened earlier, officially opened on 26 August 2007 costing a further €24million. ^[2]

The course is a floodlit 1¼ mile left-handed oval, and races are run on an all-weather Polytrack surface. ^{[3] [4]}

A turf racecourse at Dundalk, which was mainly used for National Hunt events, was closed in 2001. The present all-weather track, reserved for flat races, was opened in August 2007. The highest class horse races to be run at the venue are the Diamond Stakes, which was promoted from Listed to Group 3 status in 2009, ^[5] and the Mercury Stakes which was upgraded to Group 3 status in 2018.

Notable races

Month	DOW	Race Name	Type	Grade	Distance	Age/Sex
March	Friday	Patton Stakes	A W Flat	Listed	1m	3yo
October	Friday	Diamond Stakes	A W Flat	Group 3	1m 2f 150y	3yo +
October	Friday	Mercury Stakes	A W Flat	Group 3	5f	2yo +

Greyhound racing

In 1999 the Dundalk Race Company PLC and Dundealgan Greyhound Racing Company Limited merged to form Dundalk Racing (1999) Ltd. This would allow a new horse racing circuit to be built over the existing turf course and a greyhound track inside the main course. The previous Dundalk Ramparts Greyhound Stadium was closed on 20 November 2000 during which time the horse racecourse was undergoing major changes and despite resistance from the Horseracing Authority both sides were encouraged by the success of Paschal Taggart's Shelbourne Park venture. ^[6]

The Irish racing scene was experiencing some promising growth and Dundalk officially opened their new Dundalk Stadium on 29 November 2003 to the cost of €11 million. The minister for sport John O'Donoghue conducted the opening honours and thanks were given by CEO Jim Martin to Paschal Taggart chairman of the Bord na gCon/Irish Greyhound Board for their help. ^[7]

The track measures 550 yards in circumference providing a galloping circuit as opposed to the previous tight circuit of 440 yards. The kennels are located in a renovated building that was formerly the Tote for the racecourse but plans for a new eighty runner complex are in motion. ^[8]

Competitions

The Dundalk International is held annually. ^[9] It is a prestigious invitation event held for Ireland's leading greyhounds and also attracts some of the UK's top hounds. The event is one of the richest one-off races in Ireland (€20,000 in 2016) and is an integral part of the Irish greyhound racing calendar after being inaugurated in 1968. ^[10] The Irish Sprint Cup (formerly the Irish National Cup) arrived at the track in 2004. ^[11]

• Dundalk International
• Irish Sprint Cup

Track records

Current ^{[12] [13] [14]}

Yards	Greyhound	Time	Date	Notes
350	Blame the Game [15]	18.46	15 November 2019
400	Brodys Magic [16]	20.73	8 August 2020	Irish Sprint Cup semi final
400 hurdles	Distant Legend	21.90	15 August 2009
525	Swanley Chick [17]	28.14	1 August 2020
550	Droopys Verve [18]	29.39	12 July 2018
575	Vaguely Noble [19]	30.92	12 July 2016
600	Boleys Fella [20]	32.30	12 July 2019
620	Dromana Blue	33.51	5 December 2007
670	Prince Monalulu	36.47	4 February 2005
900	Ballymac Bonnie [21]	49.82	12 July 2016

Previous

Yards	Greyhound	Time	Date	Notes
350	Mulcair Jo	18.71	12 July 2006
350	Kildallon Ranger	18.49	12 July 2012
360	Copeland Ranger	19.43	15 July 2004
360	Lauragh Empire	19.43	13 August 2004
360	Wellington	19.12	30 October 2004
400	Mabels Dilemma	21.11	15 August 2005	Irish Sprint Cup Final
400	Droopys Rodger	21.06	21 July 2006
400	Ciaras Castle	20.96	23 March 2007
400	Gingko	20.95	21 July 2007
400	Heisman [22]	20.94	28 July 2017	Irish Sprint Cup second round
400	Droopys Steel [23]	20.81	3 August 2018	Irish Sprint Cup third round
400	Grangeview Ten [24]	20.75	8 August 2020	Irish Sprint Cup semi final
410	Geldrops Touch	21.55	26 February 2005
525	Graigues Dynasty	28.62	1 April 2004
525	Killeigh Grand	28.53	15 October 2004
525	Phoenix Paddy	28.46	3 November 2006
525	Open Door	28.39	12 July 2007
525	Ballymac Tipp	28.31	20 September 2010
525	Burnt Beans	28.17	20 May 2017
550	Hes The Bizz	29.88	5 February 2004
550	Holborn Major	29.85	12 July 2004
550	Like A Shot	29.81	25 February 2005
550	Droopys Electric	29.73	12 July 2006	Dundalk International
550	Si Senor	29.47	12 July 2007
550	Droopys Roddick [25]	29.40	12 July 2016
575	Lunar Boy	31.45	4 September 2004
575	Dromana Blue	31.14	5 December 2007
575	Stateside Troika	31.09	14 December 2013
600	Mobile Dubh	32.90	4 March 2004
600	Grandad Pat	32.84	19 November 2005
600	Fairly Smart	32.82	21 October 2006
600	Ballyhill Beauty	32.59	23 March 2009
600	Ballycanal Chief	32.57	15 August 2010
620	Air Force Honcho	33.94	22 April 2004
620	Westmead Force	33.93	3 July 2005
620	Martinstown Lass	33.93	15 August 2005
620	Martinstown Lass	33.86	13 January 2006
620	Winetavern Oscar	33.72	4 February 2006
900	Shelbourne Kay	50.61	12 November 2005
900	Hulkster	50.46	12 July 2006
900	Shelbourne Kay	50.14	15 August 2006
900	Flying Winner	49.99	12 July 2008
910	Air Force Honcho	51.08	20 November 2004
960	Beaming Surprise	54.62	22 May 2004
400 H	Distant Legend	21.90	15 August 2009

References

1. "Dundalk Stadium – Irelands only All Weather Horse Racing Track. Greyhound Racing at Dundalk Stadium". dundalkstadium.com.
2. "About Racecourse". Go Racing.
3. "Sport - The Times". timesonline.co.uk.
4. "AIR - Association of Irish Racecourse Owners". air.ie.
5. "Waiting for Perfection".
6. Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008. Raceform. ISBN   978-1-905153-53-4.
7. "Dundalk presents all-weather track plan". Irish Examiner. 30 August 2004.
8. "Dundalk". Greyhound Data.
9. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN   07207-1106-1.
10. "Feature Events" (PDF). Irish Greyhound Board. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
11. Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, page 173. Raceform. ISBN   978-1-905153-53-4.
12. "Track records". Greyhound Star. 22 January 2018.
13. "Dundalk Track records". Greyhound Star. 7 January 2019.
14. "Irish Track Records as of January 2024". Greyhound Star. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
15. "Find us on Facebook SS0/S0 350". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
16. "The BarOne Racing.com Irish Sprint Cup Semi-Final". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
17. "THE DUNDALK STADIUM A0/A1 525". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
18. "Dundalk International final meeting". Irish Greyhound Board.
19. "Racing Post A3 Tri Distance(525/550/575) Final". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
20. "Fanfruit Ltd. Open 600". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
21. "REDBOOK.IE est 1980 Open 900". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
22. "400y track record". Irish Greyhound Board.
23. "400 track record". Irish Greyhound Board.
24. "The BarOne Racing.com Irish Sprint Cup Semi-Final". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
25. "Track record 2016". Irish Greyhound Board.