Dundalk Stadium

About the course

Dundalk Stadium sits on Racecourse Road, just north of Dundalk town in Co. Louth. The venue was fully remodelled and reopened in 2007, and it is Ireland's first all-weather racecourse and the first with floodlights. It is also a dual venue: horse racing and greyhound racing both take place here, on separate tracks, which is why the stadium describes itself as "two sports, one venue".

The horse track is a left-handed oval of around 10 furlongs. Instead of turf, it is raced on Polytrack, a wax-coated synthetic surface that stays usable in weather that would stop racing on grass. There is also a large stable block on site, able to house up to 130 horses.

Because the surface copes with frost and heavy rain, Dundalk is at its busiest in winter. Horse Racing Ireland notes that it stages Flat racing weekly from late October to mid-March, and around 43 fixtures across the year in total.

Big meetings and races

Dundalk is not a festival course in the way that Galway or Punchestown are. Its racing is spread across many evening meetings, and the attraction is regular, floodlit Flat racing when most turf tracks are closed or racing over jumps.

The better races on the calendar include:

• Diamond Stakes (Group 3)
• Mercury Stakes (Group 3), which carries the name of the jockey Pat Smullen
• Cooley Stakes (Listed)

The stadium runs racing on Friday and Saturday nights through the year, and some Friday nights combine horse and greyhound racing on the same card. Check the fixture list on the official site before you travel, as not every night includes horses. For the wider shape of the Irish season, see our Irish racing calendar.

Getting there

By road: Dundalk is only minutes from the M1, the main Dublin to Belfast route. The stadium's own directions say to leave the M1 at exit 18, take the second exit at the roundabout, then the second exit at the next roundabout onto the N52. The stadium puts the drive from Dublin Airport at roughly 54 minutes and from Belfast City Airport at about an hour and five minutes.

By rail: Trains run from Dublin Connolly to Dundalk Clarke station. From the station the stadium is about 11 minutes by car, or close to an hour on foot, so a taxi is the practical option.

By bus: Bus Éireann's 100X route links Dublin Airport, Drogheda and Dundalk. Matthews Coaches also serve the town, with a stop at the Marshes Shopping Centre, around eight minutes' drive from the stadium.

Facilities and tips for visitors

Parking is free and there is plenty of it, including space for coaches. Doors open an hour before the first race.

Food and drink options include:

• The View Restaurant, a hospitality restaurant looking out towards the Cooley Mountains
• Silks Carvery on the ground floor, open on horse racing nights
• Saddle Cocktail Bar
• Bit and Bite, a takeaway counter

Under 14s get in free, and there are reduced prices for students and senior citizens. Hospitality packages are sold for groups and celebrations.

Nearby places to stay

Dundalk town itself is the obvious base, with the stadium on its northern edge. Drogheda, further south on the same M1 and bus corridor, is another option, and some visitors from Northern Ireland simply drive down on the night. If you are planning a racing trip around Louth and Meath, Bellewstown and Laytown are both within reach for their summer meetings.

Latest highlights

Highlights from Horse Racing Ireland on YouTube. Full race replays are on Racing TV.

More Dundalk highlights