Irish Derby Festival 2006
Exceptional line up for Budweiser Irish Derby Festival
The Budweiser Irish Derby Festival takes place at theCurragh Racecourse from 30th June to 2nd July. The three dayextravaganza will have all the ingredients to ensure that the eventcontinues to be one of the highlights of the summer’s sporting and social calendar.
Kildare Village Derby Friday - Great racing, barbecue food, free entertainment for children, live music
afterracing and Hector’s Big Bash with the hilarious Hector O hEoghagaintaking place in the Hard Rock Café Marquee, the ingredients for a greatparty night to kick off one of the summer’s most exciting sportingevents. Three of the seven races will be sponsored by Kildare Village,the new chic fashion outlet centre which is due to open it’s doors inJuly. While other races include the valuable Woodpark and BallysheehanStuds Stakes, together with races supported by the Silken Thomas inKildare Town, and successful BMW dealer N.Conlan & Sons.
Budweiser “Big Bash” Package 40 euro, to include admission, racecard, pint of Budweiser, item from the
Barbecue and access to Hector’s Big Bash. Must be booked in advance call Lisa at 045 441205
Budweiser Barbecue Package f30 euro includes admission, racecard, pint of Budweiser and item from the Barbecue.
Admission from 15 euro. Students and Senior Citizens 8 euro. Family Admission 25 euro. Children under 15 Free.
Audi Derby Saturday is all about fillies and fashion withEurope’s top female performers competing for Group 1 glory in the Audisponsored Pretty Polly Stakes,while a fabulous shopping spree can bewon in the Kildare Village “Fashions on the Turf” Ladies Daycompetition. Other races during a packed seven race programme includingthe Group 3 At The Races Curragh Cup, ABB Summer Fillies Handicap,Woodies DIY Derby Festival Handicap and races sponsored by Netjets andleading construction company Roadbridge
Admission from 20 euro . Students and Senior Citizens 10 euro . Family Admission 35 euro. Children under 15 free.
The Budweiser Irish Derby will celebrate it’s 141st birthday on Sunday whileit will be the 21st year for Ireland’s greatest international race tobe supported by Budweiser. The truly world class event will featureEurope’s finest racehorses competing for a record 1.5 million euro intotal prize money. Arrive early to soak up the atmosphere withentertainment from 12 noon including a full programme of entertainingin the West End Marquee sponsored by The Star on Sunday. Thetraditional singing of the Curragh of Kildare will again feature priorto the running of the feature races with the Three Irish Tenors jointedby Newbridge based soprano Lorraine Nolan and the No1 Army Band thisyear. Celebrity judges who will mingle throughout the racecourseincluding in the exclusive Image Derby Pavilion will be looking out forthe Fashion Accessories Style Icon with an exclusive prize worth i6,000presented to the winner by luxury leather goods manufacturer Chesneau.
Admission – Reserved Enclosure from 50 euro. Children under 15 12 euro.
West End Enclosure from 25 euro. Children under 15 6 euro.
3 Day Festival Ticket 70 euro.
PremierLevel Access and Premier Level Seats also available for purchase.Hospitality and Restaurant Packages available on all three days.
Irish Derby Festival Events
An exciting programme of other Derby events have been developed this year. These including:
TheDerby Ball, which takes centre stage on the eve of Derby Day onSaturday 1st July in the Stand House Hotel. Organised by KildareChamber of Commerce, this event will have a major Derby theme runningthroughout the evening, while a presentation will be made to specialguest Lester Piggott to recognise his remarkable achievements. ContactKaren Guilfoyle for further information, tel 045 526066 or e-mailadmin@kildarechamber.ie
Pre Derby Ladies Fashion and Champagne Evening in aid of St Brigid's Hospice will take place on
Thursday15th June from 7.30pm to 9.30pm at Ross Morgan’s Restaurant inNewbridge. An exciting evening of high fashion, champagne tastingcourtesy of Febvre Wines and delicious foods will featuring during anevening which is hoped will become an annual event in the build up tothe Derby Festival. Tickets costing 50 euro per person are availablefrom the Curragh Racecourse or from Ross Morgans Restaurant.
Derby Festival Preview Evening in aid of the JockeysAccident Fund taking place on Monday 26th June from 8pm at RossMorgan’s Restaurant. The opportunity to meet some of the stars of IrishFlat Racing as they preview the Festival races and enjoy a deliciousassortment of food and wines. Tickets costing 50 euro are availablefrom the Curragh Racecourse and Ross Morgans.
Derby Shop Front Competition.
The Curragh is pleased tosponsor a competition to encourage shops and businesses in the localityto get into the Derby Festival spirit with the winners receiving a VIPrace day package on Kildare Village Derby Friday for 10 people toincluded use of a Premier Level suite with food and wines. Contact LisaMcGoldrick at the racecourse for further information 045 443209
Hector returns to the Curragh
Hector O hEoghagainwillreturn to Curragh as the special guest on Kildare Village DerbyFriday,the opening race day of the 2006 Budweiser Irish Derby Festival.Hewill interrupt his busy schedule of filming of a new televisionseriesto take part in Hector’s “Big Bash” which will be held in theHard RockCafé Marquee located in the in field of the racecourse. Hewill alsointroduce the Glitter Bugs who will perform on a giant stagein themain enclosure after racing.
HH The Aga Khan to be inducted into Irish Derby Hall of Fame
HHThe Aga Khan will join Vincent O’Brien, Lester Piggott, Mike Roarty ofAnheuser-Busch and Pat Eddery when he is inducted into the BudweiserHall of Fame during the Budweiser Irish Derby Festival. Alamshar’svictory in 2003 was his fifth success in the race, following Shergar,Shahrastani, Kahyasi and Sinndar and brought him level with the numberof successes enjoyed by his grandfather.
Lorraine Nolan to sing “Curragh of Kildare”
Lorraine Nolan from Newbridge will join the Three Irish Tenors and the No 1 Army Band when they perform the “Curragh of Kildare” in front of the Grandstands before the running of the Budweiser Irish Derby this year. Currently performing in Songbird, the Eva Cassidy story, Nolan is well known and spent two years touring Europe, the U.S. and the Pacific rim as lead vocalist with the original cast of Riverdance and recorded on the Radio City Music Hall production of Riverdance - the Show Video.
