Bellewstown Racecourse
Bellewstown Racecourse is located in County Meath, Ireland. It sits on the Hill of Crockafotha and has picturesque views of the Irish Sea to the East and the Mountains of Mourne to the North. The course is a one mile and one furlong in length and runs left-handed, offering top-class flat and hurdle racing. There is much enjoyment to be had at Bellewstown Racecourse in the summer with July and August Festivals offering family activities and a Ladies Day.
Historical records show that the first races took place at Bellewstown Racecourse in 1726. The August edition of the Dublin Gazette and the Weekly Courier reported the event, which was the precursor of traditional summer competitions enjoyed to this day. Records also document that the track originally enclosed a cricket pitch. The brother of James Napper Tandy and a previous mayor of Drogheda, George Tandy, convinced King George III to put up the money for a race at Bellewstown. The event was named His Majesty’s Plate, with a cash prize of £100.
In 1975, Bellewstown Racecourse was subject to a successful betting coup, widely remembered as “Yellow Sam Betting Coup”. The scam was one of the largest in betting history. Behind the scam was an Irish man known as Barney Curley, a professional gambler and entrepreneur who used an under-handicapped horse called Yellow Sam to gain a financial advantage. However, Bellewstown Racecourse has managed to uphold a good reputation for top-class racing and is renowned as “a precious jewel in the Irish racing calendar”.
Bellewstown Racecourse attracts huge crowds during the two summer festivals. There are many ticket options available to buy at various prices. The “Bellewstown Belter” package includes admission, free colour race card, fine dining in the Corporate Marquee, private bar and Tote betting facilities, celebrity tipsters and entertainment. The facility also offers corporate hospitality services, group reservations and a free shuttle bus service subject to availability.