Cork Racecourse Guide

Cork Racecourse Mallow is located just outside the town of Mallow in the south of Ireland and has hosted racing since its opening in 1924. It has one of the largest track facilities in the country with a chase course and two individual hurdle courses on the site. In 1752, Cornelius O’Callaghan and Edmund Blake raced one another from Buttevant to Doneraile just a stones throw away from Mallow in what was referred to as the first “steeplechase”.

Parked just 35kms from Cork city, which contains a major airport, Mallow is serviced by trains from Cork, Dublin, Tralee and Killarney. There is also a bus service running from Cork to Mallow every 25 minutes and a free shuttle bus is provided from the town centre to the track on race days.

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The Course

Flat Course

Jumps Course

Cork is an extremely flat, right handed oval track featuring both a 10 furlong inner circuit and a 12 furlong outer circuit. Stemming out from the course is a small chute of two furlongs that allows 5f and 6f sprints to take place in a straight line. The level nature of the track means that it doesn’t tend to favour any particular type of horse, although it can be good to have a strong galloping type depending on the tactics of the race.

There are eight obstacles on a circuit of the chase course, including two open ditches and three jumps down the home straight. The fences are fairly testing in nature and can give less comfortable jumpers a hard time. Hurdles races take place on the flat course with six jumps needing to be tackled on each full lap. Both National Hunt courses feature a short run-in around a furlong in length.

The ground at the track drains extremely well due to the silt from the nearby river, which has made the soil quite sandy. As a result, Cork is viewed as a course for horses that enjoy good ground even in the winter. The close proximity to the river does however mean that the risk of flooding is high and it’s not at all unusual for organisers to cancel fixtures due to waterlogging.

HIGH DRAW BEST FOR SPRINTERS

Data taken from five and six furlong events at Cork show that there’s some quite heavy bias towards those drawn high. It’s a much less prevalent bias when the going is soft, as when racing in the mud, it’s possible to be competitive from all across the track. In faster conditions though, the best ground is towards the stands’ side so any horse in a double-digit stall is generally able to find a little extra speed.

The opposite is true in seven furlong races due to the fact a tight bend greets runners about two furlongs in. High numbers, forced to either take this bend wide or to settle right towards the rear, find it very hard to claim success.

Those best positioned to take the turn, horses in stalls 1 and 2, on the other hand, enjoy a fine strike rate over seven furlongs. The strong bias disappears when reaching one mile though with high drawn contenders given more time to slip into a decent position ahead of the turn.

Major Meetings at Cork

With around 20 meetings per year, Cork is one of Ireland’s busier tracks. In addition to the quantity, there is no shortage of quality on offer at this classy dual-purpose venue.

Hilly Way Chase the Pick of the Jumping Action

Cork’s National Hunt season begins in October, with the early season highlight arriving at the excellent Cork National fixture in November. A Listed Hurdle and Grade 3 chase provide the chief support to the 3m4f main event, which regularly attracts runners who go on to run in the English, Irish, or Welsh Grand National.

The Cork National tops the handicapping menu, but the track’s classiest contest arrives one month later in December. Run over a fast and furious 2m½f trip, the race is named in honour of the dual Queen Mother Champion Chase winner. Three-time Hilly Chase winner Energumene added the Champion Chase to his haul in 2022 and 2023. The Grade 3 duo of the Lombardstown Mares Novice Chase and Cork Stayers Novice Hurdle provide high quality support at one of the track’s most popular meetings.

Hot on the heels of the Cheltenham Festival, Cork stages a springtime highlight of its own. Taking place over the Easter weekend, the three-day Easter Festival is invariably among the most well-attended meetings of the year. The headline act of the Imperial Call Chase honours the County Cork-based star who claimed the 1996 edition of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Pick of the Flat

Jumps racing continues at Cork during the summer months, but the higher-class action takes place on the flat. Held in the same month as the Epsom Oaks, June’s Group 3 Munster Oaks is open to fillies aged three and older and has become a happy hunting ground for Aidan O’Brien.

Moving deeper into the summer months, the track’s second Group 3 event of the Give Thanks Stakes lights up an excellent August midweek card. Named in honour of the 1983 Irish Oaks winner, the standout name on the roll of honour is Dermot Weld’s three-time Group 1 winner Tarnawa, who landed back-to-back editions in 2019 and 2020.

Dining and Hospitality

Cork offers a variety of hospitality packages on each race day of the year, including:

• Social Package: For groups of 5 or more, this package typically includes general admission, a race card, a free bet, as well as a pint.
• Restaurant Package: Usually includes a premium level admission, a race card, and a four-course lunch. You can also have a table for the day in the private restaurant situated in the top floor of the Grand Stand or Pavilion Stand with a full bar, tote facilities, as well as a viewing balcony overlooking the track.
• BBQ Package: This package is usually only available in summer months and tends to include premium level admission, a race card, and, of course, a full BBQ menu. It also offers a table for the table at the restaurant above the Grand Stand, a full bar, tote facilities, a viewing balcony to watch the races, and music after the races.
• Christmas Party Package: The perfect way to spend December at the races is with the Christmas Party Package that typically includes premium level admission, a race card, mulled wine upon arrival, as well as a four-course lunch. Other perks include a table at the top floor restaurant, a bar, tote betting facilities, a viewing balcony, and live festive music.

As well as the hospitality facilities, Cork Racecourse is home to 3 bars, a coffee shop, and various fast food counters dotted around the course available to all patrons at the course.