The Curragh Racecourse
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| Location | Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland |
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| Coordinates | 53°9′55″N 6°50′43″W / 53.16528°N 6.84528°WCoordinates: 53°9′55″N 6°50′43″W / 53.16528°N 6.84528°W |
| Race type | Thoroughbred Flat |
| Notable races |
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| Official website | |
The Curragh Racecourse, usually referred to as simply The Curragh, is Ireland's most important Thoroughbred racecourse. It is situated on the Curragh plain in County Kildare, between the towns of Newbridge and Kildare.
The name "Curragh" comes from the Irish (Gaeilge) word Cuirreach, meaning "place of the running horse". The first recorded race on the plain took place in 1727, but it was used for races before then. The first Derby was held in 1866, and in 1868 the Curragh was officially declared a horse racing and training facility by act of parliament.
The course is right-handed, about two miles long and horseshoe-shaped. Races up to one mile are run on a straight course. Additionally there are several training facilities on the site.
The Curragh offers the highest purses and highest quality level of flat racing in Ireland. In 2007, ten of Ireland's twelve Group One races were held at the track.
All five Irish classics are run at The Curragh.
On race days, there are shuttle buses from Kildare railway station to The Curragh. Dublin Coach's routes to Portlaoise and Ennis also serve the racecourse on these days.
The racecourse was once served by two railway stations: Curragh Mainline on the main Dublin–Cork line, which opened in 1846, and Curragh Racecourse at the end of a short branch to the grandstand, which opened in 1875. Curragh Racecourse station closed in 1977 and the branch was subsequently lifted, while Curragh Mainline fell into disuse in the early 2000s.
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