Dundalk Stadium Guide

Welcome to our official guide to Dundalk Stadium and Racecourse.

We explore this lively all-weather racecourse in detail, looking at its history, a look at the main races, a guide to track, hotel picks, fixtures, travel information, betting guides and even the weather of this great Irish track.

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

Find out more about Dundalk racecourse:

Dundalk Racecourse History

Dundalk Stadium is a racecourse of two halves, featuring both horse racing and greyhound racing, and is the only all-weather track in Ireland.

It is popular with trainers from all over Ireland as well as attracting runners from the UK.

The stadium prides itself on being ‘more than just a racing venue’ and offers a variety of hospitality options on site. Visitors to the stadium will be met with a wealth of bars as well as three different eateries including fast food, a carvery, and a beautiful restaurant.

The Dundalk stadium has a long history of over 120 years but has undergone many reworkings during that time.

In 2007, Dundalk stadium underwent a complete renovation and refurbishment which totally changed the feel and purpose of the site, after been originally opened four years previously, in 2003.

The stadium boasts a fully floodlit poly-track surface which is coated with a wax surface, making it modern and innovative.

The racecourse features stables that can house up to 130 horses and kennels for many greyhounds.

Many racecourses only operate full time throughout the spring and summer seasons and that is where Dundalk is special. The course really lights up during the winter months when visitors can attend a flat race at least once each week – nicknamed the Friday Night Club.

In 1999, the stadium was brought out and greyhound racing was introduced, this stadium is the only dual-purpose racecourse in the whole of Europe (the greyhound track is inside the horse racing course), making it somewhat unique and interesting.

Dundalk Racing Tips

Dundalk Races

Most of the racing at Dundalk Stadium happens on Friday evening from September to March, whilst not strictly the highest quality there are always big fields and competitive racing under the floodlights.

The main and most prestigious races at the Dundalk Stadium include Patton Stakes which is a 1 mile listed race for 3-year-olds held in March. October sees the Group 3 Diamond Stakes over 10 furlongs and the 5-furlong Group 3 Mercury Stakes.

Dundalk Racecourse Map

Below is a map of Dundalk racecourse:

Dundalk racecourse is a Polytrack all-weather course.

It is left-handed and round, with a circuit of a little over 10 furlongs.

The home straight is 2½ furlongs with a cutaway at the top of the home straight.

Is there a draw bias at Dundalk Racecourse?

In terms of a draw bias at Dundalk racecourse, there does seem to be a slight bias favouring low drawn horses.

Overall, while there may be some slight draw biases at Dundalk, they are not as significant as they are at other courses, and horses drawn in any position still have a good chance of winning.

What is the Draw Bias at Dundalk 5 Furlongs?

When it comes to the 5 furlongs course at Dundalk, it’s quite clear that being drawn low is a significant advantage.

The course is designed around a tight left-handed bend, and as a result, the winners are mostly split between the lower and upper halves.

However, the lower half tends to have an edge, with roughly two-thirds of the winners coming from that side.

Overall, the 5 furlongs course at Dundalk exhibits a bias towards horses drawn low, which is not surprising given the tight nature of the track.

Therefore, jockeys and trainers need to take this into account when formulating their race strategy and selecting horses for this distance.

What is the Draw Bias at Dundalk 6 Furlongs?

The 6 furlong course at Dundalk seems to have a similar draw bias as the 5 furlong course. The bend is still tight and it is still advantageous to be drawn low.

In fact, the winners at 6 furlongs are split roughly two-thirds in the lower half and one-third in the upper half.

The draw bias at Dundalk’s 6 furlongs is consistent with the bias found at the 5 furlong course.

The tight left-handed bend is likely the reason for the bias towards low drawn horses.

It is important for jockeys to consider the draw when racing at Dundalk’s 6 furlongs in order to take advantage of the bias and give themselves the best chance of winning.

What is the Draw Bias at Dundalk 7 Furlongs?

The 7-furlong course at Dundalk offers a good opportunity for horses to take a preferred position before the bend due to the long run from the stalls to the bend.

As a result, there is only a very small bias towards low drawn runners over this distance.

Horses have a chance to secure a good position without being forced to go wide.

This suggests that the draw is less important over 7 furlongs at Dundalk compared to the shorter distances.

It’s worth noting that there have been instances where high drawn runners have performed well over 7 furlongs at Dundalk.

Therefore, it’s important to consider factors such as form, jockey, and pace when placing bets.

What is the Draw Bias at Dundalk 1 Mile?

When it comes to the draw bias at Dundalk over a mile, it seems that being drawn lower may provide a slight advantage.

This conclusion is based on a substantial sample size, and although the advantage is not significant, it is worth considering when assessing the potential outcomes of a race.

Interestingly, the outside stall has performed relatively well at Dundalk over a mile, which may suggest that a wider draw offers more opportunities for manoeuvring and reduces the risk of getting boxed in.

Dundalk Racecourse Address

The official address of Dundalk Racecourse is:

Racecourse Road
Dowdallshill
Dundalk
Co Louth
A91 FFP3
Ireland

How To Get To Dundalk Racecourse

The best ways to get to Dundalk are:

• By car – the racecourse can be accessed by using the M1 and N25 roads respectively if visitors are arriving by car. When driving, the racecourse can be reached from Dublin in just 45 minutes and from Belfast within an hour. There is a good amount of parking at the stadium and visitors have the option to safely leave their vehicle overnight should they so wish.
• By train – if travelling by train, the stadium is accessed via the Dundalk train station, usually by the Enterprise high-speed rail network.
• By air – for air passengers, Dublin airport is just a 40-minute drive from the stadium. There is a bus service which can be taken from the airport, which runs directly to the stadium, making arriving at the venue quickly and simple

Summary of Dundalk Racecourse

Dundalk Stadium is a busy and lively track most famously known for its Friday racing, which goes on in almost any weather conditions throughout the Irish winter.

Races are not always strictly high-class but they are always good-sized fields and competitive, making fun and open betting events.

Even though this is the case, the track is frequented by nearly all of the Irish trainers who compete throughout the winter months.

The course itself is friendly with great customer service and the stadium offers a superb restaurant and viewing opportunities – so if the weather is bad you can enjoy great racing, food and drink inside.

For those looking for a bumper Friday evening, you can combine horse racing with greyhound racing as well!

We love Dundalk here at British Racecourses and highly recommend a visit.