Leopardstown is the main dual purpose racecourse in Ireland hosting 13 Grade 1 races over jumps and two Group 1 races on the flat. Its location just 8km south of Dublin City Centre has made it one of the most popular tracks in the country with tourists and the high quality standard of racing here year round only adds to its popularity.
Amazingly, it is the only course located in the capital and runs around a stunning 18 hole parkland golf course, which is available to play any day outside of racing. Aside from racing, the Leopardstown course is known for its on-course entertainment with many concerts and comedy gigs taking place for patrons at the end of meetings.
The course is serviced by Dublin’s light rail Luas system, which leaves from the city centre and stops at Sandyford, which is just 10-minutes walk from the course. The trip itself takes 20-minutes and a complimentary shuttle service is in operation from the stop on the day of racing. Dublin bus also service the course on race days.
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Leopardstown Racecourse Guide
Leopardstown Racecourse
The Course
Leopardstown, in general, is a wide, open, left handed track of about 1m 6f in circumference, which rides very fair and is mostly flat (bar a small rise coming off the home turn). Offering a stiffer test than many think, the pace often picks up here a long way from home so there’s rarely a moment to catch breath. The turns, however, are very much on the easy side and pose no issues for any long striding gallopers.
The chase course is regarded as easier than the inner hurdles course, although the three fences that are placed tactically down the back straight are very close together and can catch horses out when not met on a good stride. There are rarely any hard luck stories on the chase track, although there is only a very short home straight after turning an easy final bend.
The hurdles course is much sharper and provides a much greater test of the tactical ability of the jockey and speed of a horse and requires a lot less getting the trip than its chase counterpart. It rides quite differently to the outer course and it pays to be much handier especially when there are large fields in the big handicaps at the course.
DRAW BIAS ONLY PRESENT OVER 6F
In races with 10 or more runners across six furlongs, stalls one to three all enjoyed a higher number of actual wins compared to the expected amount. Stall two was particularly fruitful with a winning percentage of 12.93%, over 4.5% more than the anticipated level.
The reason for this is that the home bend approaches runners so soon in six furlong races, meaning those that start out wide find it difficult to get a decent spot by the rail. Handed more time to sort themselves out over seven and eight furlongs, the draw bias virtually disappears with no preference given to any position among the stalls.
BIG NAMES ABLE TO PROVE THEIR WORTH
Some truly great names have steamed across the Leopardstown turf over the years, including legendary hurdlers, Hurricane Fly and Istabraq, who both won here 10 times. Leopardstown has a reputation for rarely providing hard-luck stories so it’s usually the case that the best nag wins on this exceptionally well-maintained course.
It’s something best highlighted by Famous Name, a horse that boasts a record-breaking 13 victories just south of Dublin, a feat that may not be broken for a very long time. Every single win came when Dominic Weld’s multiple-time Group winner set off at odds of just 11/10 or shorter and in his whole career only once did he fail to win when the race favourite.
Major Meetings at Leopardstown
Ireland is home to many outstanding dual-purpose racetracks, but only Leopardstown stages both Grade 1 action over jumps and Group 1 contests on the level. Amidst a sea of quality fixtures, a pair of multi-day meetings place the course at the centre of the Irish racing world.
Christmas Festival
Like its Kempton counterpart, this popular meeting gets underway on Boxing Day. However, while the Kempton event is over in two days, the Leopardstown Christmas Festival offers four days of high-quality action:
- Day 1 – The staying stars take centre stage in the 3m Fort Leney Novice Chase. Previous winners include the legendary Dorans Pride and the much-loved Delta Work from the yard of Gordon Elliott.
- Day 2 – The Paddy Power Rewards Club Chase and Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle provide a Grade 1 double bill on Day 2. Champion Chaser Moscow Flyer was a dual winner of the former event, as was the 2000 Aintree Grand National winner, Papillon. The novice contest regularly lives up to its name, with Sizing John, Jezki, Hurricane Fly, and the sensational Istabraq all coming home in front.
- Day 3 – Run over the 3m trip, the Christmas Hurdle regularly attracts runners on course for the Stayers’ Hurdle. The Savills Chase is the hunting ground of Cheltenham Gold Cup hopefuls and has been won by racing luminaries such as Best Mate, Denman, and Galopin Des Champs.
- Day 4 – The December Hurdle is the final Grade 1 of the week. Held over the same 2m trip as the Champion Hurdle, Brave Inca, Sublimity, State Man, and four-time winners Hurricane Fly and Istabraq are among those to win both races.
Dublin Racing Festival
A newer addition to the Leopardstown menu, the Dublin Racing Festival crams eight Grade 1 contests into two days. Held in late January/early February, the meeting attracts many runners set to line up at Cheltenham in March:
- Day 1 – The Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle, Spring Juvenile Hurdle, and Arkle Novice Chase set the scene before the headline act of the Irish Gold Cup. A valuable prize in its own right, this 3m event provides key pointers ahead of the Cheltenham equivalent.
- Day 2 – The Ladbrokes Novice Chase and Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle attract runners likely to be seen in the Brown Advisory Novices Hurdle and Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Attention then turns to the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase and Irish Champion Hurdle, which are the Leopardstown versions of the Queen Mother Champion Chase and Champion Hurdle.
Irish Champions Weekend the Pick of the Flat Action
Leopardstown is home to 20 flat contests rated at Group 3 level or above, including trials for the 1,000 Guineas, 2,000 Guineas, and Derby.
The track’s biggest day on the level is Day 1 of the Irish Champions meeting in September. The Matron Stakes for the fillies and mares sets the Group 1 ball rolling before the much-anticipated Irish Champion Stakes. First run in 1976, the 1m2f event is one of the most prestigious middle-distance events in the world. Giant’s Causeway, High Chaparral, Sea The Stars, Golden Horn, and Auguste Rodin are but a selection of the superstar names to have come home in front.
Dining and Hospitality
The Grandstand of the course contains three floors of bars and restaurants available to all patrons. There is a Sports Lounge so you miss no sporting events while watching the racing. There is also the Champions Cafe bar and the Leopardstown Pavillion, providing food, drink and entertainment to all patrons on race days.
Leopardstown provides amazing facilities and offers for both large and small groups. Full details and pricing can be obtained from the course website.