Events Archive

The world famous festival promises to be one of the most spectacular sporting and fun events of the summer.

Ladbrokes.com Derby Friday kicks off the weekend of racing with a fun packed evening starting at 6.00pm with the featured Ballygallon Stud Stakes taking centre stage.   The legendary, Irish Rock Group, The Saw Doctors will perform on a giant stage in the main enclosure after racing at 9pm.

Saturday is one of the most fashionable racing days of the year with high drama on the track and high fashion in the enclosures with Europe’s leading fillies lining up in the Pretty Polly Stakes which will be sponsored by Audi for the eighth consecutive year.  Yet again this year Audi have some of their newest models on show at the track including the awesome 2010 world performance car of the year the R8 Spyder.Last year’s winner Dar Re Me who gave his owner Andrew Lloyd Webber one of his greatest victories on the racecourse, is among the entries for the race this year in addition to Midday, Lahaleeb, Termagant, Gile Na Greine and Aspectsoflove. The world famous Ballymacoll Stud adds their name to the International Stakes for the first time with entries for the Group 3 contest including Etihad Airways Irish 1000 Guineas winner Bethrah, Glass Harmonium, Soul City and Poet, while Profound Beauty is on course for the At The Race sponsored Curragh Cup. Hats will be the most important fashion accessory on the day with Kildare Village as fashion sponsor for the weekend presenting a €1,000 gift card to the lady judged to have the Most Stylish Hat on the day. Other sponsors include Barronstown Stud, Tipperary Crystal and O’Leary Insurances.

Sunday will feature the best of racing, fashion, food, entertainment, pageantry and spectacle culminating with the top horses and jockeys competing for €1.25m in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. English Derby hero, Workforce looks set to renew rivalry with some of his Epsom opponents including Midas Touch and Jan Vermeer who will aim to give trainer Aidan O’Brien an unprecedented five successive victory in the Group 1 Classic.

The inaugural running of the  National Lottery Sweepstakes Race is a very exciting addition to Derby Day this year with total prize money of €100,000 making it the richest sprint handicap in Ireland, but even more significantly it will create a new millionaire with the person lucky enough to  draw the winning horse in the Sweepstakes draw winning €1 million.  Other races on the star studded program include the Ladbrokes.com Railway Stakes and the Woodies DIY Celebration Stakes. 

2010 is Kildare Village’s fifth year as the Festival’s fashion partner and this year they have developed an innovative new approach to the Most Stylish Lady competition on Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Day.  For the first time ever members of the public will have their say in who will win the coveted Most Stylish Lady prize.  Six finalists will be chosen by the judges who will then go through to the public vote.  Pictures of the finalists will be displayed on large screens at the Curragh so racegoers can vote for their favourite via a free SMS text or by logging on to derby.kildarevillage.com. In addition to winning €3,000 to spend at Kildare Village – The Most Stylish Lady will also win a specially commissioned portrait by the celebrity judge, photographer, Mary McCartney, daughter of former Beatle, Paul and sister to top fashion designer Stella.

Kildare based soprano, Lorraine Nolan will be joined by the Baldonnel Singers and No 1 Army Band to perform ‘The Curragh of Kildare’ prior to the Derby, while other musical treats to look forward to include Latin Express, Slovak Orchestra and Ocean’s Six, while Crystal Swing will perform live after the final race on Derby Day to bring the party to an exciting end.

A variety of great value packages are available on Friday and Saturday including The Punters Package from €20, Jolli Bolli Package €25 and Family Package from €25, there are still a limited number of dining and hospitality packages available, although the exclusive Image Derby Club Room which operated on Derby Day only is now full.

Admission is fantastic value throughout the Festival with tickets costing €20 on Friday, €15 on Saturday, while on Sunday the Reserved Enclosure is €40 and the West End Enclosure which is only €20 will feature a terrific line up of entertainment courtesy of the Star on Sunday newspapers. Concessions are available over all three days for under 25’s and seniors, while children under 16 go free on Friday and Saturday and free to the West End Enclosure enclosure on Derby Day.

All the action from the World Cup and the GAA will be shown on screens throughout the racecourse.

There are an exciting number of ancillary events taking place at The K Club over the weekend including The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Golf Classic which takes place on Friday 25th June on the world famous Palmer Ryder Cup Course.  This four ball competition costing €250 per person will include brunch on arrival, golf, a BBQ that evening and a selection of gift and prizes, courtesy of main sponsors, Dubai Duty Free. 

Kathryn Thomas will add her glamour to The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Ball on Saturday 26th June when she hosts the event in aid of the Special Olympics in The K Club on the eve of Derby Day, Saturday 26th June. Tickets costing €100 include pre drinks reception, followed by a lavish dinner and dancing with music by Conor McKeon and The Legends of Swing.

KEY DATES AT A GLANCE:

•  Media lunch with Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free – Thursday, 24th of June, The K Club.   If you are interested in attending the lunch and interviewing Colm McLoughlin please contact Aileen O’Brien, O’Brien PR (045) 446422 or call   (086) 8403624.
•  Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Golf Classic, The K Club – Friday, 25th June.
•  Ladbrokes.com Derby Friday featuring the Saw Doctors– Friday, 25th June.
•  The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Ball in aid of Special Olympics Ireland (Leinster Branch)   The K Club – Saturday, 26th June.
•  Audi Pretty Polly Stakes – Saturday, 26th June
•  Kildare Village Most Stylish Hat – Saturday, 26th June.
•  Good Food Ireland Food Village – Friday 25th to Sunday 27th June
•  Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby – Sunday, 27th June.
•  Kildare Village Most Stylish Lady – Sunday 27th June

WEEKEND RACING SCHEDULE

Friday
6pm                                      Sycamore Lodge Equine Hospital Maiden 8f
6.30pm                                 Ladbrokes.com Handicap 10f
7pm                                      Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Derby 12f
7.30pm                                 Ballygallon Stud Stakes (Listed) 6f
8pm                                      Silken Thomas Handicap 5f
8.30pm                                 N Conlan & Sons Handicap 10f
9pm                                      Ladbrokes.com  Maiden 10f
9.10pm                                 Concert by the Saw Doctors

Saturday
1.15 pm                                Tipperary Crystal  2yo Maiden 7f TV
1.45 pm                                Ballymacoll Stud Celebrating 50 Years International Stakes (Group 3) 10f        
2.20pm                                 Audi Pretty Polly Stakes (Group 1) 10f TV
2.55pm                                 Ladbrokes.com Summer Fillies Handicap 7f
3.30pm                                 Barronstown Stud Fillies 2yo Maiden 7f
3.40pm                                 Kildare Village Best Hat winner announced
4pm                                      At The Races Curragh Cup 14f
4.30pm                                 O’Leary Insurances Handicap 16f

Sunday
1.45pm                                Dubai Duty Free Full of Surprises 2yo Maiden 6f
2.15pm                                Dubai Duty Free Sapphire Stakes 5f
2.45pm                                Dubai Duty Free Double Millionaire Premier Handicap 8f
3pm                                     Kildare Village Most Stylish Lady Announced
3.15pm                                Ladbrokes Railway Stakes 6f
3.50pm                                National Lottery Sweepstakes Race 6f
4.30pm                                Woodies DIY Celebration Stakes 8f
5.10pm                                Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby 12f
5.50pm                                Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship Handicap 16f

 

 

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