Ballinrobe Racecourse

Welcome to our guide to Ballinrobe Racecourse.

A former ‘Racecourse Of The Year’ in the northwest of Ireland, Ballinrobe Racecourse is a dual-purpose track in a picturesque location that almost always attracts sell-out crowds to its nine-race meetings every year.

If you are looking for the latest betting tips for Ballinrobe, check out our full guide to Ballinrobe Racecourse tips.

We explore this great Irish racecourse in detail, looking at its history, a guide to the track, local hotel picks, racing fixtures, travel information, betting guides and even the weather.

Find out more about Ballinrobe Racecourse:

Overview of Ballinrobe Races

The only racecourse in the western county of Mayo, Ballinrobe Racecourse hosts both National Hunt and flat racing in ten events from May through to September.

Set in a natural amphitheatre overlooking the vista of Lough Carra, the views from Ballinrobe Racecourse are truly extraordinary.

Combined with its lively atmosphere and the fact that it’s the only racecourse around meaning events almost always sell out, Ballinrobe Racecourse is a must-visit track for both race-goers and those in the equestrian industries alike.

Ballinrobe Racecourse was awarded ‘Irish Racecourse Of The Year’ back in 2012 – an accolade that although not repeated since has continued to attract prestigious racers, vast crowds of race visitors and plenty of corporate sponsorship attention.

There is now a variety of hospitality and corporate entertaining options available for those visiting Ballinrobe, but they need to booked well in advance to avoid disappointment.

Ballinrobe Racecourse is well attended year-round and remains a favourite venue amongst many in the west of the country.

Ballinrobe Racecourse History

Race meetings can be traced back as far as 1774 in the town and general area of Ballinrobe, and in 2021, 100 years of horseracing was celebrated at the current track.

Since its inception as a venue, Ballinrobe has certainly seen its fair share of success – with Donna’s Pride (who went on to win the Cheltenham Stayers Hurdle and twice place in the Cheltenham Gold Cup) winning his first race at the track in 1993; and he went on to win €1 million there!

Another horse of celebrity status, Traverse, owned by Only Fools Buy Horses star Hector O’hEochagain also won his first race at Ballinrobe Racecourse back in 2003.

In 2018, an issue with jockeys reporting safety concerns on the flat track led to a controversial race abandonment. Despite much discussion, it was eventually decided that flat racing should continue at Ballinrobe Racecourse, and there have been no such issues at the venue since.

Ballinrobe Racecourse Maps

There are two tracks at Ballinrobe, the flat and the jumps tracks as below.

Ballinrobe Flat Course

Below is a map of the Ballinrobe flat track:

The track at Ballinrobe Racecourse is a right-handed oval track about a mile, with a run-in for races about a furlong.

The back straight is uphill but the closing stages are down, so speedy types are favoured above other horses.

For flat races, the six-furlong races are run around a very sharp turn and a low draw usually presents an advantage.

Ballinrobe Jumps Track

Below is a map of the Ballinrobe jumps track:

In the case of National Hunt events, there are six fences to a circuit; three in the back straight and the last after the turn into the short finishing straight.

Main Races and Events at Ballinrobe

There is no one ‘stand out’ race meeting at Ballinrobe Racecourse as they all tend to attract sell-out crowds but locally, the venue is renowned for its annual McHale Race Day.

Local brand McHale offers hefty sponsorship across the day with the McHale Mayo National Handicap Chase featuring a prize pot of €40,000 and the McHale Mayo Hurdle an overall value of €30,000. The McHale Tiger Roll Beginners Chase has recently been renamed after the dual Aintree Grand National hero and four-time Cheltenham Festival winner – he won his first race over fences at the venue in May 2016.

Ballinrobe Racecourse Address

The Ballinrobe racecourse address is:

Ballinrobe Racecourse
Ballinrobe
County Mayo
Ireland

How To Get To Ballinrobe Racecourse

Despite its location making it the only racecourse in the County, Ballinrobe is easily reached by most forms of transport.

The ways to get to Ballinrobe racecourse are:

• By road – Ballinrobe Racecourse is situated just 2km from the town of Ballinrobe and easily accessible by car; with free parking throughout the course (also the parking facilities are somewhat compact and so it’s recommended that racegoers in vehicles arrive with plenty of time before the first race). By road, Ballinrobe Racecourse is a 50 min drive from Galway, 3 hours from Cork, 4 hours from Belfast and just under 3 hours from Dublin.
• By rail – the closest railway station to Ballinrobe Racecourse is Claremorris, some 21km away. Claremorris is served by Irish Rail on the Dublin to Westport line.
• By air – those travelling by air are best to fly in to Ireland West Airport Knock, just under 50km away. It is served internationally, with most of its destinations being in the UK.

Hotels near Ballinrobe Racecourse

The budget Woodview House B&B is located opposite the Ballinrobe Racecourse and so is a popular choice amongst racegoers, but does get booked up well in advance of race days! In the town of Ballinrobe, a few options such as The Bowers Bar and Restaurant Rooms, Friarsquarter House and The Valkenburg Hotel. Western Pride Holiday Homes have a few properties through the town but most have not reopened since closing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Elsewhere, The Western Hotel and the McWilliam Park Hotel can be booked in nearby Claremorris, Ryan’s Riverlodge Hotel and Lyons Lodge Hotel in nearby Cong, and Fairhill House and Ballykine House in nearby Clonbur Dun Mhuire.

Betting Shops Local to Ballinrobe Racecourse

There are three betting options for those visiting Ballinrobe Racecourse: independent bookmakers opposite the parade ring, Tote facilities with cashiers, automated machines or table staff throughout the hospitality rooms, and a branch of BoyleSports on-site.

Mobile signal is just fine at the racecourse for most networks and so those wishing to have a flutter online can do so easily with their own device (mobile phone bets).

Betting kiosks and machines are busy at Ballinrobe Racecourse as so many people in attendance are visiting the races for leisure, and many for the first time.

In the town of Ballinrobe, a branch of BoyleSports and Ladbrokes can both be found on the high street. There are also branches of chain bookmakers to be found in the nearby locales of Claremorris, Knock, Ballyhaunis and Cloonfad.

Best Ballinrobe Betting Sites

At British Racecourses we often recommend betting online and via apps. This is because you can often get the best odds, great offers when signing up and you can place bets quickly and safely without having to queue.

All of these betting sites made our list of the best horse racing betting sites, they had great features such as live race streaming, betting payment options, free racing bets and more.

Ballinrobe Racecard and Ballinrobe Tips

The racecards for the Ballinrobe races are released the day before the races take places, find out where to view racecards here – tomorrow’s racecards and today’s racecards. In these you will get an advance look at all the runners and riders, some people like to do this and select their horses before getting to the track.

You can also of course purchase a racecard from the track which carries much of the same useful information.

Ballinrobe Weather

Check out the Ballinrobe weather before heading to the races so that your racing attire is spot on!:

BALLINROBE WEATHER

Ballinrobe Races 2024

Here is the horse racing calendar for Ballinrobe Races in 2024:

Check out our guide for the full list of Ireland’s horse racing fixtures in 2024.

Summary of Ballinrobe Racecourse

Ballinrobe is a busy and popular racecourse hosting both flat and national hunt racing.

It is known as a great day out and former winner of the Racecourse of The Year – this is thanks to its great facilities, customer service and quality of racing.

Whether you are a racing fan or just looking for a great day out, be sure to check out this great Irish track.