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Do not be deceived by first impressions of Gowran Park Racecourse, for when you first see it snuggling amongst mature woodland on the former estates of Lord Annaly, you would be excused for thinking it appears to be a sleepy 'County' style racecourse, but visit on a race day, and its true nature comes to life.
Gowran Park is in fact a thriving and dynamic venue, and it is very well supported on race days. Leading trainers bring their best horses to Gowran Park, and the course is well worth its grade one status.
The racecourse staged its first meeting in June of 1914, and it instantly obtained the support of the large horse racing community who were already living and working in County Killkenny.
The locally based McEnery family, who in the early nineteen sixties bred Red Rum, have enjoyed a long relationship with the racecourse, and since 1954, they have sponsored the January running of the valuable Thyestes Cup.
All Gowran Park meetings are well supported by the famous Mullins family. These horse trainers extraordinaire, have trained in County Killkenny for several generations, and the legendary Paddy Mullins still holds the record as the only trainer to have won the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup with the same horse, namely the incomparable Dawn Run.
However, at Gowran Park, it is his Champion Stakes winner Hurry Harriet who is remembered in the August running of the Listed Hurry Harriet Stakes.
Apart from the famous horses who have won its important races, Gowran Park has its own footnote in Irish horseracing history, for in 1969 it became the venue for the first ever 'live' outside broadcast of horseracing shown on Irish television.
Gowran Park now stages around sixteen days racing in each calendar year. This includes; national hunt meetings, flat only fixtures, and the occasional mixed cards. In October, the course stages the two day Killkenny racing festival, and apart from the Grade 2 Gowran Park Champion Chase, this meeting hosts the courses only Group 3 flat race. In February, Gowran Park host two Grade 2 national hunt races on the same day, the Red Mills Trial Hurdle, and the Red Mills Chase. Both races are used by leading trainers as preparation for the festivals at Cheltenham, Fairyhouse, Aintree and Punchestown.
In relation to the first of those afore mentioned Festivals, Gowran Park always caters for the withdrawal symptoms of national hunt fans by staging its Tetratema Cup on the Saturday following the Cheltenham Festival.
Gowran Park stages both flat and national hunt racing.
Both the flat and national hunt courses are run right handed over an undulating oval circuit measuring approximately one mile four furlongs in circumference.
The three furlong stretch of the course from the home turn to the winning post exhibits a gradual climb, and front runners can often be hard to pass.
The steeplechase course has seven fences, with the last three on each circuit being positioned prior to the winning post on the home straight.
The hurdles course has six obstacles, with the last three being positioned prior to the winning post on the home straight.
The listings below do not include the facilities available to Annual Members, or Owners and Trainers.
The main grandstand is a modern facility adjacent to the winning post, and it offers great views over the racecourse. There is unrestricted access to the parade ring and winners enclosure.
The Roof top Restaurant is located at the top of the grandstand, and offers silver service fine dining. With its balcony, the restaurant offers its patrons excellent views of the racecourse and winning post. To book a table, please contact the racecourse.
Corporate parties of between 30 and 75 can also book the Helen Sheane Suite, which is located adjacent to the main grandstand.
The enclosure also has a self service restaurant, numerous bars and fast food outlets.
The grandstand has a designated viewing terrace, and there is lift access to this and other grandstand facilities.
Saturday 19 February - re-scheduled from 12 February
Saturday 05 March
Saturday 19 March
Wednesday 30 March
Sunday 17 April
Sunday 01 May
Thursday 12 May
Sunday 19 June
Friday 08 July
Wednesday 10 August
Saturday 24 September
Friday 30 September
Saturday 01 October
Saturday 26 November
Thursday 15 December
Gowran is located 13 kilometres east of Killkenny, 130 kilometres south of Dublin, and 40 kilometres north of Waterford.
The racecourse is located just over one kilometre outside the village of Gowran, and is on the road from Gowran to Thomastown.
Traffic from Dublin and Waterford should leave the N9 at Paulstown, and then follow the signs for Gowran and Thomastown.
From Killkenny, take the N10 for around eight kilometres, and then turn right for Gowran.
There are regular services from Dublin and Waterford to Killkenny railway station. Taxis are then available at Killkenny station.
On most race days, Bus Eireann operate a service from Dublin Busarus to and from the racecourse. However, for full details on services to Gowran Park, contact Waterford bus station on: 051 879 000.
Rapid Express coaches also offer services from Waterford.
Waterford airport is 54 kilometres from Gowran Park. There are direct connections from Waterford to Birmingham, Luton, and Manchester.
Subject to obtaining permission from the racecourse management, helicopters may land at Gowran Park.
Located in the city centre of Kilkenny, the award winning Kilkenny Hibernian is a gracious four star hotel offering good access to Kilkenny rail and bus stations, and with its own car park, the hotel also forms the perfect oasis for race-goers attending the nearby Gowran Park races.
The Kilkenny Hibernian Hotel offers 46 spacious and luxurious en suite guest rooms, including; interconnecting rooms, suites, and a penthouse suite. All rooms have remote controlled television, complimentary wi-fi internet access, and the standard room amenities discerning guests expect from a quality hotel. The hotel also offers 24 hour room service, and a dry cleaning service on request.
In November 2008 the restaurant of the Hibernian Hotel transformed into a more casual type of restaurant, where it was fine dining before. The restaurant will reopen the second half of November. It will serve modern Irish cuisine, including seafood and steak specialities, all dishes are lovingly created from the very best of local ingredients, to produce mouthwatering fayre, which can be accompanied by an extensive range of fine wines. At the front of the hotel, the warm and comfortable Hibernian Bar offers locals and guests an experience not to be forgotten. The bar serves morning savouries, all day lunches, afternoon tea, or simply a drink in the evenings. For younger guests, or guests who are young at heart, Morrissons is an underground bar which combines upbeat liveliness with charm, and provides a late bar on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Hibernian guests also have complimentary use of a nearby Leisure and Fitness Centre, including a gymnasium, swimming pool, steam room and jaccuzzi.
For further details on the Kilkenny Hibernian Hotel, or to book directly, use the link below.