2.65 Million Worth Of Prize Money At Naas Racecourse

2.65 Million Worth Of Prize Money At Naas Racecourse

1st meeting Sun. 26th March

For the first time in its history, Naas Racecourse will both open and close the flat season of Irish racing. 

The first meeting of the Irish flat season will take place at the Kildare track on Sunday, 26th of March with the Group 3 EBF Park Express Stakes and the Tote Irish Lincolnshire Premier Handicap taking centre stage.  While the Irish flat season finale meeting will take place on Sunday, 5th of November.  

Naas Racecourse will play host to 11 flat racing fixtures this season with a staggering €2.65 million worth of prize money up for grabs. A total of 19 black type races will be run at the track, 10 of which are group races and 9 are listed races. 

Naas Racecourse is often referred to as the ‘Nursery of Champions’ due to the long tradition of providing preparation opportunities for big racing festivals, both domestic and international, for both national hunt and flat racing. To both open and close the Irish flat season further fortifies Naas Racecourse’s importance in Irish racing and the esteem in which the industry holds the track.

Since 1998, The Curragh Racecourse has opened the flat season, but is not able to do so this year, due to development works currently underway. The last time a racecourse in Ireland hosted both the first and last days of the flat turf season was in 2001 at Leopardstown due to an outbreak of the dreaded Foot and Mouth Disease that year.  

Tom Ryan, Manager of Naas Racecourse said, “It is a really exciting time at Naas Racecourse as we prepare to open the Irish flat season for the very first time. We were only too happy to assist our colleagues at the Curragh Racecourse by hosting four Curragh fixtures this year. 2017 is a very significant year for us here too as we will also commence our €2.6 million redevelopment programme this month. Our racecourse redevelopment, combined with our flat season calendar marks the beginning of a new chapter for Naas and a new and bright future.”

The redevelopment programme at Naas will see the refurbishment of the main grandstand and self-catering restaurant and the development of a modern, two storey curved pavilion which will incorporate balcony viewing. Significant landscaping work will be completed which includes a new parade ring, winner’s enclosure and extended children’s playground. Works have already commenced with the demolition of an old viewing stand and work is due to be completed by January 2018. 

Tickets for the EBF Park Express Stakes are on sale now. General Admission tickets are priced at €15 and include a €5 betting voucher. The first race is off at 2.30pm. To make a hospitality booking or for more information log on to  www.naasracecourse.com or call (045) 897 391 

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