The Curragh Racecourse, located in County Kildare close to Dublin, is considered one of the finest racecourses in Ireland and is home to all five Classics of the Flat season: the Irish 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas, the Irish Oaks, the Irish Derby and the Irish St. Leger. Over the years, legendary stars of the turf have prevailed at the famous racecourse.
The track is right handed and horseshoe-shaped with a circuit of 2 miles, a run in of 3 furlongs and a stiff, uphill finish. The 5 and 6 furlongs races are held on a straight course.
Racing at the Curragh dates back to 1727 where it was held on the vast expanse of the Curragh plains, one of Europe?s oldest grassy expanses. It is known to have been home to chariot racing in the centuries prior, popular with 3rd century kings and chieftains. In the early days of racing, match races were held over the gruelling staying distance of four miles.
Racegoers revelled in the delights of the inaugural running of the Irish Derby 1866 and not long after in 1868, the Curragh of Kildare act officially declared the use of The Curragh for the purpose of horse racing. The Curragh means `place of the running horse? and numerous champion Group-1 winners have graced its turf, from Nijinsky to Shergar and more recently Yeats and Enable.
