The Curragh Racecourse brought the curtain down on the 2025 Flat Racing Season with a thrilling finale meeting this past Sunday. It was a year defined by exceptional competition, unforgettable victories and the crowning of new champions.
The season also underscored The Curragh’s commitment to its community with a range of initiatives promoting inclusion and raising vital funds for charity partners.
Racing Excellence Across the Season
Home to the five Classics, the Curragh once again hosted a world class programme of 24 fixtures which was fully sponsored featuring major Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3 contests that drew both domestic and international stars.
Among the season’s highlights was Colin Keane’s masterful ride aboard Field Of Gold in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas, Ryan Moore’s inspired victories aboard Lake Victoria and Minnie Hauk in the Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas and the Juddmonte Irish Oaks respectively and his triumph aboard Lambourn in the 160th running of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.
Dylan Browne McMonagle rounded off a great season at the Curragh at Irish Champions Festival in September with victory in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger aboard Al Riffa. The Curragh once again affirmed its status as the stage where the best of Irish and International racing talent comes together.
A particularly memorable moment came with the visit of Asfoora, the first Australian trained racehorse ever to compete in an Irish flat fixture, an occasion that captured the imagination of racing fans worldwide.
Champions Crowned
Fresh from his remarkable Breeders’ Cup success, Dylan Browne McMonagle was officially crowned Ireland’s Champion Flat Jockey for 2025 last Sunday, finishing on an impressive 95 winners, a testament to his consistency and class throughout the year.
The Champion Apprentice Jockey title was secured in dramatic fashion on the final day by Wayne Hassett, following victory aboard James J Braddock in the opening two-year-old maiden.
Community, Charity and Inclusion: A Season of Impact
Off the track, 2025 was a landmark year for The Curragh’s charitable and community initiatives, reinforcing its connection with the people of Kildare and promoting inclusivity in sport.
Highlights included the launch of Ireland’s First Racecourse Sensory Room, a permanent facility which provides a calm, safe space for neurodivergent children and their families. Developed with Sensational Kids and Autism in Racing, it represents a lasting step forward in accessibility and inclusion.
The Pat Smullen Charity Race Day, held in honour of the late champion jockey, and the Curragh-to-Curragh 100 km Charity Cycle raised over €350,000 for Cancer Trials Ireland bringing the four-year fund-raising total to over €1.2m.
The Curragh also hosted the inaugural Kildare Inclusivity Festival, a free, family-friendly celebration of ability and inclusion developed by Kildare County Council in partnership with CKAN, Nua Healthcare, Barretstown and other partners, while in June the venue hosted Relay For Life, a 24-hour event that sees local communities coming together to celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost to cancer, and stand shoulder to shoulder with those facing cancer.
These initiatives reflect the spirit of what The Curragh stands for, and Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of The Curragh Racecourse said. “While we celebrate outstanding sporting achievement on the track, we’re equally proud to celebrate the people and partnerships that make this place a community, from inclusion and accessibility to local fundraising and national causes.”
Looking forward
As The Curragh celebrates the close of a superb 2025 season, plans are already underway for 2026 with continued investment in hospitality, family engagement and on-course experiences to ensure every visitor enjoys the highest standards befitting the home of Irish flat racing.
The Curragh thanks all owners, trainers, jockeys, stable staff, sponsors and patrons for their dedication and support throughout the 2025 season and looks forward to welcoming everyone back on St Patrick’s Festival weekend for another unforgettable year of racing and community at Ireland’s premier racecourse.