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sport · Saturday 8 August 2026 · TBD 
Kilbeggan Races - August Meeting
At Kilbeggan Racecourse · Kilbeggan Racecourse, Co. Westmeath
At Kilbeggan Racecourse · Kilbeggan Racecourse, Co. Westmeath
Kilbeggan Racecourse runs an evening National Hunt meeting on Saturday 8 August 2026, with a second meeting following on 21 August. If you have never been to a jumps meeting on a warm summer evening in the Irish midlands, this is a fine place to start. The atmosphere is relaxed and local - county fair more than Cheltenham - and that suits a lot of people down to the ground. Families, racing regulars, and those who simply want an enjoyable night out all find something here.
Kilbeggan is Ireland’s only dedicated evening jumps track, which makes it genuinely different from other summer race meetings. The course is a sharp, right-handed circuit - about nine furlongs around - with undulating terrain, a tight turn after the second-last fence, and a run-in that climbs uphill to the line. That combination produces tactical, punchy races rather than the long-striding gallops you get on a flat track. Horses that handle the turns and the switchback well tend to go well here repeatedly, so if you like studying form, the course specialists make interesting betting.
The August meeting is part of a summer programme that runs from April through September, with the July Midlands Grand National as the headline fixture. By August, the track is well established in its summer rhythm. Expect six to seven races across the evening, with the card typically starting in the late afternoon. Food and drink are available on-site, and the setting - open farmland with the countryside of Co. Westmeath around you - adds to the informal feel. Reviewers consistently mention the friendly, community atmosphere.
Kilbeggan is in the centre of Ireland, roughly equidistant from Dublin (about 80 km west via the M6 motorway) and Athlone (30 km south-west on the N52). By car, exit the M6 at Junction 7 (Kilbeggan/Tullamore) and follow signs into the town. Parking on race days is within the racecourse grounds, though note that some areas require crossing the track to reach the car park - allow extra time arriving and leaving. Bus Eireann serves Kilbeggan on the Dublin - Athlone route; check current timetables if you plan to travel by bus.
Kilbeggan is home to one of Ireland’s oldest working distilleries, the Kilbeggan Distillery, well worth a look before or after racing. The town sits in the broad, quiet heart of Westmeath, a county that rewards slow travel. There is more to see in Kilbeggan and across Co. Westmeath.
Heading to Kilbeggan Racecourse in Kilbeggan? Westmeath has plenty more to see. Read the Kilbeggan area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.