Cork Racing Today: Racecards, Results and Fixtures

Today

This page has today's race card, live results, upcoming fixtures and our racing tips, along with a full guide to the County Cork track on the banks of the Blackwater at Mallow.

About 35 km north of Cork city, just off the N20, the course stages more than 20 meetings a year. They include both Flat and National Hunt racing, from the Easter Festival in spring to the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase in December. Its level, galloping layout and well-drained ground make it one of the fairer tests in Irish racing.

Cork Racecards for Today

The Cork race card today shows every runner and rider, the draw for Flat races, recent form, the latest odds and race times. It updates from final declarations right up to the off, so non-runners and going changes show as soon as they're announced. Cork racing results are added as each race is settled, and tomorrow's Cork race card appears once declarations close.

Cork Racing Fixtures 2026

There are races all year round, and from October onwards its fixtures are mainly over jumps. Every remaining Cork meeting in 2026 is on a Sunday. Here are the remaining Cork race meetings for 2026:

Cork Racing Tips

If you're looking for Cork racing tips for today, here are some general tips to keep in mind for the track:

• Favour prominent racers: Cork is a level, right-handed oval, and it's hard to make up ground from the back on the round course. Horses that lead or race close to the pace have the better record on the Flat, and prominent runners have also done well over jumps.
• Know the draw in sprints: Five- and six-furlong races are run on a straight track. On quick ground, high draws near the stands' rail have the edge, though hold-up horses drawn high can get trapped. On softer ground, the draw matters less.
• Back low draws over 1m 4f: The mile-and-a-half start is close to the first bend, so horses drawn low can save ground and get a good position early.
• Look for horses that dislike deep ground: The soil at Cork drains well, and the ground rarely gets really heavy, even in winter. That can suit horses that struggle on very testing ground at other Irish tracks.
• Respect the fences in the straight: There are eight fences per circuit, three of them in the four-furlong home straight. The fences are fair, but they can still catch out careless jumpers late in the race.
• Follow Mullins, Twomey and the local riders: Willie Mullins has trained almost 200 National Hunt winners at Cork, with a 29% strike rate. On the Flat, Paddy Twomey has a 32% strike rate. Phillip Enright and Billy Lee are among the most successful riders here in recent seasons.
• Back the favourite in National Hunt non-handicaps: Favourites have won around 42% of National Hunt non-handicaps at Cork. That makes the market a strong guide in maidens and graded races.

Cork Race Track Guide

The Cork race track is a right-handed, level oval. The Flat course has a 10-furlong inner circuit and a 12-furlong outer circuit, and a two-furlong chute allows five- and six-furlong races to be run on a straight course. Work began in 2017 on extending the straight to seven furlongs, which would make it one of only two seven-furlong straights in Ireland.

Over jumps, the chase circuit is about a mile and a half, with eight fences per circuit, three of them in the four-furlong home straight. There are two hurdle circuits, and the inner one is about a mile and a quarter. The run-in after the last is about a furlong. The track is galloping without being stiff, so it doesn't strongly favour any one type of horse.

Draw and Ground

On the Flat, low draws help over a mile and a half because the start is close to the bend. For the round course, prominent racers do best wherever they're drawn. On the sprint track, high draws are best on quick ground, while on soft ground the draw becomes less important.

The going at Cork is usually good to yielding or yielding in spring and autumn, and the summer evening meetings are often on good ground. The track drains well, so it rarely becomes very heavy, and Cork tends to lose fewer winter meetings to waterlogging than many other Irish courses.

Big Races at Cork

Cork stages several graded jumps races and two Group 3 Flat races each season:

• Hilly Way Chase (December): The Hilly Way Chase is a Grade 2 race over about two miles and is often an early-season target for the leading two-mile chasers. Willie Mullins has won it a record 16 times, and Energumene won it three times. In 2025, Found A Fifty beat the odds-on favourite Majborough for Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy.
• Easter Festival (spring): The three-day Easter Festival is one of Cork's busiest meetings. Its feature race is a three-mile chase on Easter Sunday, renamed the Michael O'Sullivan Chase in 2025 in honour of the Lombardstown jockey who died after a fall at Thurles.
• Munster Oaks (summer): The Group 3 Munster Oaks is the most important Flat race at Cork and is often a stepping stone for staying fillies.

History

Racing in North Cork has a long history. The first steeplechase is said to have been run nearby, between Buttevant and Doneraile, in 1752. The racecourse at Mallow opened in 1924, after Cork Park Racecourse in the city closed in 1917, and it was later renamed Cork Racecourse.

In 1983, the course became famous for something other than racing, when a Gulfstream II jet that was running low on fuel made an emergency landing in a field there. The crew stayed for 39 days before the plane took off again from a temporary runway, and the story inspired the 2010 film The Runway.

Top Trainers and Jockeys at Cork

Willie Mullins is by far the leading National Hunt trainer at Cork, with 198 winners and a 29% strike rate. Gordon Elliott (81 winners) and Henry de Bromhead (63) are the next most successful. On the Flat, Joseph O'Brien has trained the most winners at Cork, while Paddy Twomey has an excellent 32% strike rate.

Davy Russell is the leading National Hunt jockey at Cork with 84 winners. Paul Townend (83) and Ruby Walsh (78) are close behind. On the Flat, the late Pat Smullen rode 99 winners at the course, and Billy Lee has 93. Source: IrishRacing.com.

Visiting Cork Racecourse

Cork Racecourse is on the Killarney Road in Mallow, Co. Cork. It's about a 30-minute drive from Cork city along the N20, and parking is free. Mallow railway station is about 2.5 km away, with direct trains from Dublin, Cork, Tralee and Killarney, and a free shuttle bus runs between the station and the course on race days.

Cork races tickets usually cost around €20 for general admission, and package deals often include a racecard, a drink and a Tote bet. Under-14s go free with a parent or guardian. Gates generally open about 90 minutes before the first race. The course has five public bars, a carvery restaurant, a coffee shop and hospitality suites in the Grandstand and Pavilion Stand. There's no formal dress code, but bring a jacket, as the weather in Mallow can change quickly.

Watching Cork Racing Live

Every Cork meeting is shown live on Racing TV, which covers all Irish racing in the UK and Ireland. Many bookmakers also offer free live streams and replays of Cork races to customers who have a funded account or have placed a bet on the race.

Bookmakers for Cork Races

All the major UK and Irish bookmakers price up every Cork race. Look for Best Odds Guaranteed on Irish racing, extra places on bigger handicaps at the Easter Festival, and early prices for the Hilly Way Chase, which often features a Champion Chase contender.

Cork Racing FAQs

Is Cork racing on today?

Check the fixtures table above. If there's racing at Cork today, the race card and race times appear at the top of this page.

Where can I find Cork racing results today?

Cork racing results are added to this page as each race is settled, including the winners, placed horses and starting prices. Results from yesterday's racing and earlier meetings remain available afterwards.

Where is Cork Racecourse?

Cork Racecourse is in Mallow, about 35 km north of Cork city, on the Killarney Road. It's sometimes called Mallow Racecourse.

What is the biggest race at Cork?

The Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase in December is Cork's best-known race. The Easter Festival and the Group 3 Munster Oaks are also highlights of the Cork season.

Is there flat racing at Cork?

Yes. Cork stages Flat racing from spring through summer, including sprints on its straight course, and National Hunt racing for most of the rest of the year.

Is there greyhound racing in Cork?

Yes, but not at Mallow. Greyhound racing in Cork takes place at Curraheen Park, which has its own race cards and results that aren't covered on this page.

Can I watch Cork racing live?

Yes. Every Cork meeting is shown live on Racing TV, and many bookmakers also offer live streams and replays.