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sport · Wednesday 12 August 2026 · 4:00pm 
Hurry Harriet Stakes Evening Meeting
At Gowran Park Racecourse · Gowran, Co. Kilkenny
At Gowran Park Racecourse · Gowran, Co. Kilkenny
The Hurry Harriet Stakes is one of the summer highlights on the Irish flat racing calendar - a Listed race for fillies and mares run over just under a mile and a quarter at Gowran Park. First run in 2007, the race has built a reputation for quality entries, with Aidan O’Brien’s yard having won it seven times and Pat Smullen riding it to victory four times. An August Wednesday evening at Gowran is a genuinely pleasant way to spend a few hours: the racing is competitive, the atmosphere is relaxed, and you do not need to be a serious punter to enjoy it.
The feature race, the Hurry Harriet Stakes, goes to fillies and mares aged three and older over approximately nine and a half furlongs on the flat. It draws runners from the leading stables in Ireland and occasionally Britain, so the quality of racing is a step above a typical midweek card. The meeting starts at 4pm and typically runs through the early evening with several supporting races filling out the card.
Gowran Park is a compact, genuinely scenic course set in wooded parkland. The stands are close to the track, so you get a proper view of the field throughout. There are bars, a clubhouse restaurant, and food options on site - you can eat, have a drink, study the form on the racecard, and settle in for the evening. Betting facilities are available throughout the course. The venue runs a “new to racing” setup, so first-timers will find helpful explanations of the basics if needed.
Gowran village sits on the N10 between Kilkenny city and Carlow town, roughly 15 kilometres from Kilkenny city centre. By car from Kilkenny, it is a straightforward 15-minute drive south-east on the N10. From Dublin the drive takes around 90 minutes via the M9 motorway. There is ample on-site parking, which is standard for all Gowran Park meetings. Gowran Park runs complimentary buses from the Parade in Kilkenny city for race meetings, which is worth checking in advance if you would rather not drive.
Gowran itself is a quiet village with a fine medieval collegiate church - St Mary’s Church - worth a look before or after racing. The wider area is excellent cycling and walking country. There is more to see in Gowran and across Co. Kilkenny.
Heading to Gowran Park Racecourse in Gowran? Kilkenny has plenty more to see. Read the Gowran area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.