Tramore Racecourse
Staging both National Hunt and Flat racing, Tramore Racecourse is located in Tramore, County Waterford, Ireland. The Grade II racecourse is right-handed and covers a distance of eight furlongs with a descent to the turn and a tough uphill finish of one furlong. In total, there are four hurdles and five fences on the circuit. Tramore stages 11 racing fixtures throughout its racing calendar. The mid-August Festival is Tramore’s highlight of the year and is usually held over four days.
Horse racing began on the beach at Tramore in 1785. The equine activity gained a huge following and by 1807, the local people had arranged a six-day meeting during mid-August - a tradition which is still popular to this day. In 1853, with the coming of the railway, a new racecourse was established at Riverstown. Despite the race committees efforts to upgrade the seaside facilities, races were often cancelled due to the stormy seas. In 1911, this led to the course being relocated to its current location at Graun Hill in Tramore.
Tramore Racecourse has welcomed some great horses and riders over the years. In 1983, Carlingford Castle trained for the English Derby at Tramore. The trainer galloped the horse the opposite way round the track effectively making the track a left-handed one. He was of the opinion that the track came close to replicating Epsom racecourse’s unique gradient. The trainer’s tactic almost proved to be successful, as in the same year Carlingford Castle ran second to the Derby winner Teenoso who was ridden by Lester Piggott.
Tramore Racecourse changed ownership in the 1990s. The new owners comprised of a group of local horse racing enthusiasts who were successful in their plan to upgrade the venue’s facilities. By 1997, the improvements were finished and resulted in the new Graun Hill Suite and private bar. Tramore Racecourse is famous for staging the first ever race meeting of the new millennium (the Mean Fiddler Handicap Steeplechase). The event attracted a huge crowd of around 11,000 racegoers who witnessed a horse called No Problem win the landmark race. The horse had been trained in Cork and was ridden by a jockey from Waterford. A couple of years later, Tramore Racecourse changed its currency to the Euro, making it the first equine facility in Europe to do so. Tramore Racecourse hosted its first listed race, the Wilf Dooley Handicap Steeplechase, in 2005.
In 2012, Tramore Racecourse celebrated its centenary year and was anticipating many great days to come in the future. The two-day New Year’s meeting became as popular as the four-day mid-august festival and the event has become an end of year tradition for many locals. The venue’s Family Fun afternoons have also proved to be a great success, allowing for children to be entertained whilst the racing activity is conducted. Tramore Racecourse offers a range of eating and drinking options. The Inside-Track Bar seats up to 500 guests and boasts an impressive conservatory. The Owners &Trainers Bar looks onto the parade ring. The Guillamene Lounge provides self-service and take-away restaurants. General admission charges apply whilst children under the age of 16 benefit from free entry.
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