Thurles Racecourse

Last updated

Thurles Racecourse
Location Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland
Coordinates 52°40′44″N 7°48′50″W
Owned byThe Molony Family [1]
Date opened1732
Screened on Racing TV [2]
Course type National Hunt
Notable races Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase
Coolmore N. H. Sires Capri Mares Novice Chase
Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle
Attendance17,273 (2023) [3]

Thurles Racecourse is a horse racing venue in the town of Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland which stages National Hunt racing. Racing has taken place at Thurles since 1732 when a three-day festival took place at the venue.

Contents

The course is located 1.5 km west of the town centre. The course is an oval right handed track of one and a quarter miles with 6 flights of hurdles and 7 steeplechase fences in each circuit with a steep uphill finish. [4]

It has been owned by the Molony family for over a hundred years. The current manager is Kate Molony, who in 2015 took over from her father Pierce, who took over from his father in 1974. [5]

On February 16 2025, Irish jockey Michael O'Sullivan died following a fall at Thurles Racecourse earlier that month. The incident occurred during a race. [6]

Notable races

MonthDOWRace NameTypeGradeDistanceAge/Sex
JanuarySunday Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase ChaseGrade 22m 4½f6yo +
JanuarySunday Coolmore N. H. Sires Capri Mares Novice Chase ChaseGrade 22m 4½f5yo + m
FebruaryThursday Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle HurdleGrade 22m 4f5yo +
MarchSaturday Pierce Molony Memorial Novice Chase ChaseGrade 32m 2f5yo +
NovemberThursday John Meagher Memorial Chase ChaseListed2m 6f5yo +

References

  1. "All you need to know about Ireland's only family-owned racecourse". racingpost.com.
  2. "Racing TV Irish service will not be affected until Gambling Bill implementation". racingtv.com.
  3. "HRI Factbook 2023" (PDF). hri.ie.
  4. "Course Profile". Go Racing. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  5. McClean, Donn (January 2022). "A Family Affair". Racing TV Club Magazine. No. 13. Racing TV.
  6. "Michael O'Sullivan: Irish jockey dies after Thurles fall". BBC Sport. 16 February 2025. Retrieved 16 February 2025.