Ballybrit Racecourse


Ballybrit Race Track is a horse race course in County Galway, Ireland. It is located in the village of Ballybrit, in the environs of Castlegar, just north of the N6 Bóthar na dTreabh, c.6 km northeast of Galway city.
The track has two stands, the Main stand, and the Millennium stand.
The 7-day Galway Races Festival is held here every August.
Other meetings are held here in September, early October and over the last weekend in October.

Course Information

Right-handed course of about one mile and three furlongs, with a steep decline into the dip where the last two fences are situated. These fences are famous for being the closest two fences on any racecourse in the world. There is a sharp incline to the finish line.

History

The first meeting was held in 1869.
As part of his visit to Ireland in 1979, Pope John Paul II celebrated mass at the racecourse for two hundred and eighty thousand people. Mayor of Galway Michéal Ó hUiginn conferred the Freedom of Galway upon the Pontiff.

Notable races