El Gran Senor Stakes Evening Meeting

An August evening at Gowran Park is one of the better ways to spend a Friday in Kilkenny, and the El Gran Senor Stakes card gives you a proper reason to go. This is a Listed flat race meeting - a step above handicap fare - and the headline race draws two-year-old thoroughbreds from across the Irish and British circuits. It suits anyone with a passing interest in racing as much as it suits the regulars: the format is accessible, the atmosphere is relaxed compared to a big festival day, and the evening start means you can come after work if you’re local, or make an afternoon of it if you’re travelling.

What to expect

The El Gran Senor Stakes is a Listed flat race for two-year-old thoroughbreds, run over just under a mile. Listed races sit directly below Group level in the Irish racing hierarchy, which means the horses competing are genuinely high-quality prospects - many will go on to Group company before the season ends. The meeting runs from 4pm with a full card of races supporting the feature, so you get several hours of racing rather than a single event.

Gowran Park has been staging meetings since 1914 and earned Grade 1 classification for National Hunt in 2006, which gives you a sense of its standing. The course has a modern grandstand, opened in 2003, and on-site bookmakers alongside the Tote. Bars and refreshments run throughout the meeting, and the parade ring gives you a chance to see the horses up close before each race. Evening meetings here have a sociable, unhurried feel - families are well catered for, with under-16s admitted free.

Getting there

Gowran village sits on the N10 between Kilkenny city and Carlow town, about 16km east of Kilkenny. By car, the journey from Kilkenny takes around 20 minutes; from Carlow it’s roughly the same. Ample on-site parking is available. By public transport, the Kilkenny to Carlow bus route passes through the area - check the Bus Eireann timetable for the 7 August service and allow time to walk from the stop.

While you’re in Gowran

The village itself is quiet and compact, with Gowran Abbey - a medieval collegiate church - worth a look if you arrive early. There is more to see in Gowran and across Co. Kilkenny.

Good to know

• Date: Friday 7 August 2026, first race 4:00pm
• Admission: Adults €10, seniors €10, students €5, under-16 free
• Tickets and fixture info: gowranpark.ie/racing
• On-site parking, bars, and refreshments available throughout the meeting
• The full race card is typically published a few days before the meeting