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sport · Monday 28 September 2026 · TBA 
Roscommon Racecourse - September Fixture
At Roscommon Racecourse · Roscommon Racecourse, Co. Roscommon
At Roscommon Racecourse · Roscommon Racecourse, Co. Roscommon
The September fixture at Roscommon Racecourse is one of the more serious days in the Irish jump racing calendar. The centrepiece is the Grade 3 Kilbegnet Novice Chase - a two-mile contest that has carried Grade 3 status since 2007 and regularly draws horses with serious Cheltenham ambitions. This is a proper race meeting rather than a summer evening social, drawing form-watchers, serious punters, and families who just like a good day at the races in equal measure.
The Kilbegnet Novice Chase is worth €40,000 and is run over two miles and half a furlong on Roscommon’s right-handed circuit, which features a notable incline to the winning post. The race has a strong record of producing future Grade 1 winners - the 2018 renewal was won by Ornua, who went on to take the Doom Bar Maghull Novices Chase at Aintree, while the 1994 running saw a young Imperial Call finish third before going on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Trainer Henry de Bromhead has won it four times, which gives you some indication of the calibre of trainer it attracts.
Beyond the feature race, the card gives a full afternoon of jump racing. The course has on-course bookies and Tote, bars and a restaurant, free car parking, and live music entertainment. The September meeting is a daytime fixture, so there is no rush to beat the dark.
Roscommon town sits in the middle of the country, roughly 145km west of Dublin via the M4/M6 and then the N61. From Athlone it is about 30km north, and from Longford about the same distance south. The racecourse is on the edge of town and has free parking on-site, which makes driving the straightforward choice. Bus Eireann serves Roscommon town from Dublin and Galway; the town is walkable from the bus stop, and the racecourse is a short drive or taxi from the centre.
Roscommon town has a well-preserved Norman castle, a decent main street for lunch before the races, and the county museum for anyone who wants to add some history to the day. There is more to see in Roscommon and across Co. Roscommon.
Heading to Roscommon Racecourse in Roscommon? Roscommon has plenty more to see. Read the Roscommon area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.