Fairyhouse Course Guide

Fairyhouse Racecourse is one of the premier National Hunt tracks in Ireland. Located 23km north of Dublin in County Meath, the first recorded race meeting took place there in 1848. Nowadays, it hosts 20 meetings over the course of the year, with both Flat and National Hunt racing taking place there.

The highlight of the Fairyhouse calendar is the three-day Easter Festival, with the main event unquestionably being the Irish Grand National. First run in 1870, arguably the most memorable winner of it in recent decades was the legendary Desert Orchid, who carried top weight to victory in the 1990 renewal of the race.

Mind, a Fairyhouse card that is beginning to rival the Easter Festival in terms of prestige is the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle meeting which takes place in December. It host three Grade 1 races and has proven to be one of the highest-class days of pre-Christmas National Hunt racing anywhere in Ireland and Great Britain.

The sole Group race on the Flat at Fairyhouse is the Group 3 Brownstown Stakes in July and it has been won by future Group 1 winners such as Emulous and Fiesolana in recent years.

A wide, galloping and square-shaped course that is a mile and six furlongs in length and right-handed. The straight is three furlongs long and is slightly uphill.


Fairyhouse is quite a level track that while it is fair in the main, it generally suits horses that have to pace to race prominently. The draw isn’t something I ever found myself getting too worked up about at Fairyhouse. Mind, over the shorter trips, a low draw can be a real problem for a hold-up horse, as they race quite right to the rail in the straight and hard-luck stories are never too far away.

View from the saddle: Mick Kinane

A wide, galloping, square right-handed track, a mile and three quarters in extent. There is a steady climb on the side away from the stands before a steady descent in the back straight. The three-furlong home straight is slightly uphill but the track is not a testing one and favours no particular type of horse. There are eleven fences to a circuit, and a run-in of around a furlong.


A lovely big galloping track. There are rarely any hard-luck stories at Fairyhouse, you can come from any position and it’s an easy enough track to ride. The fences there are some of the stiffest around and wouldn’t be very forgiving to a chancy novice.

View from the saddle: Charlie Swan
Future Fixtures
  • Wed 08 July 2026
  • Mon 21 September 2026
  • Mon 05 October 2026
  • Sat 10 October 2026
  • Tue 03 November 2026
  • Tue 10 November 2026
Current Going
Good (Good to Firm in places)

Current Weather today at: Fairyhouse

Today
Sunny spells

Forecast: Sunny spells
Temp: 13.4° - 24.3°
Rainfall: none
Wind: 6.9 mph SE

Tomorrow
Mostly sunny

Forecast: Mostly sunny
Temp: 14.7° - 23.7°
Rainfall: none
Wind: 5.9 mph E

Last Update: 08/07/2026 12:00

Upcoming races

Results

1

17:05 Irish EBF Median Sires Series Race

6f | 2YO only | 8 ran
  • Winner: Alwaysanangel 15/2
  • Jockey: Dylan Browne McMonagle Trainer: J P O'Brien
  • Owner: Janine Byrne
2

17:40 Dino Day At Fairyhouse On July 8th Apprentice Handicap

0-60

6f | 3YO plus | 17 ran
  • Winner: Monastere 20/1
  • Jockey: J Cleary Trainer: K Thornton
  • Owner: Gary Ryan
3

18:10 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap

6f | 3YO plus | 11 ran
  • Winner: Treasure Rose 11/2
  • Jockey: Ben Coen Trainer: J P Murtagh
  • Owner: Anthony Paul Smurfit
4

18:45 Racing Again July 8th Fillies Handicap

7f | 3YO plus | 18 ran
  • Winner: Caitouna 14/1
  • Jockey: Colin Keane Trainer: P W Flynn
  • Owner: Patrick K McCarthy
5

19:20 GAIN The Advantage Series Handicap

1m ½f | 3YO only | 14 ran
  • Winner: Kirkland Sioux 6/1
  • Jockey: Dylan Browne McMonagle Trainer: J P O'Brien
  • Owner: Rectory Road Holdings Limited
6

19:55 Early Bird Winter Festival Tickets At Fairyhouse.ie Handicap

0-60

1m ½f | 4YO plus | 12 ran
  • Winner: Pete's Dream 7/1
  • Jockey: Jimmy Dalton Trainer: A Slattery
  • Owner: Declan Michael Diviney
7

20:30 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden

1m 4f | 3YO plus | 12 ran
  • Winner: Vanir 11/10 Fav
  • Jockey: Ben Coen Trainer: J P Murtagh
  • Owner: Newtown Anner Stud Farm Ltd

Address & Contact

Fairyhouse Racecourse
Ratoath
Co. Meath
+353 01 825 6167
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