Coming Soon - Ireland's First All-Weather Horse Track

Dundalk Stadium's new all-weather racetrack will make history as Ireland's first all-weather horse track, the first floodlit racetrack and the first combined horse and greyhound racing facility with the opening meeting taking place on the afternoon of Sunday 26th August 2007.

Ireland's first all-weather racecourse at Dundalk Stadium has been allocated twelve fixtures. The first evening meeting comes a month after the opening meeting on Thursday 27th September. There will then be two runs of five consecutive Friday evening meetings: from 28th September to 26th October and from 9th November to 7th December (outside the turf season).

Dundalk Stadium will have a floodlit all-weather track of 10 furlongs (2,000m) oval with a five furlong sprint track. The project is set to include an extension to the existing grandstand, new ambulance and access roads, a weigh room, stable yard for 130 horses and parade ring and a new bookmakers ring.

Minster John O'Donoghue said: 'Dundalk's new all-weather racetrack will make history on a number of fronts: Ireland's first all-weather track, our first floodlit racetrack and the first combined horse and greyhound racing facility. It is an ambitious project and I am sure it will be a successful one and a wonderful sporting asset for Dundalk, the North East and the entire border region.'

Dundalk Stadium recently announced that the proposed all-weather track will be the New Generation Polytrack surface supplied by Martin Collins International. The new generation Polytrack is a combination of plastic fibres, PVC granules, soft rubber blend and high grade sand which are all blended with a coating wax. A proprietary plastic fibre is produced in a manner which provides an irregular cut and supplies the same characteristics as the root structure in good turf.

The sand used comprises of carrying gradients which consequently provides an interlocking effect. When mixed with the sand, the fibre reduces hoof penetration and keeps the horses ?on the top' decreasing the risk of stress and strain as well as improving energy return.

The PVC is a washed, clean, granule and has a hole where the copper wise has been extracted, this increases the absorption rate and when coupled with the soft rubber blend increases both energy return and drainage efficiency. The fibre, PVC and rubber are very resilient and give long life to the product.

Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Horse Racing Ireland said: 'The new Polytrack gallop on the Curragh appears to have been well received by trainers, and the Polytrack has operated effectively for some time on the all-weather tracks in the UK. It is a pleasure to now have the construction phase underway'

The benefits have been proved: Polytrack is used in training yards, studs and racecourse worldwide, including prestigious sites at Newmarket, Epsom, North Yorkshire, Chantilly, Maisons Lafitte and Keeneland and as well as Lingfield Park, Wolverhampton, Kempton Park and Turfway Park Racetracks.

Dundalk Stadium currently operates as a greyhound track every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening combining fine dining in ?Champion's Restaurant,' two lively bars, Mullen's fast food and apres race entertainment.