Gowran Park Racing Today: Racecards, Results and Fixtures

No races today.

This page has today's race card, live results, upcoming fixtures and our racing tips, along with a guide to one of the busiest dual-purpose tracks in the south-east of Ireland.

Gowran Park is just outside Gowran village in County Kilkenny, about 13 km east of Kilkenny city and just off the M9. It stages around 19 meetings a year, with Flat racing from spring to autumn and National Hunt cards in the winter, and its biggest day is the Goffs Thyestes Chase in January.

Gowran Park Racecards for Today

The Gowran Park 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. Gowran Park race results are added as each race is settled, and tomorrow's Gowran Park race card appears once declarations close.

Gowran Park Racing Fixtures 2026

The track has 19 meetings in 2026, with 13 on the Flat and six over jumps. The season ends with two finales. Here are the remaining Gowran Park race meetings for 2026:

Adult admission costs €15 online in advance or €20 at the gate, with concessions for students and pensioners. Children under 16 go free with an adult.

Gowran Park Racing Tips

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

• Race handily on the Flat: Gowran Park is a right-handed oval of about a mile and a half, with sharp turns. On the Flat, it suits horses that race prominently, and front runners that are left alone early often keep going to the line.
• Low draws matter over seven furlongs: Over seven furlongs, the first bend comes up quickly, so low-drawn horses have an advantage. A wide draw can cost a lot of ground on the turn.
• Respect the uphill finish: The home straight is about three furlongs long and climbs all the way to the line. On soft ground, Gowran becomes a thorough test of stamina, so make sure horses stay the trip.
• Give horses a chance on the back-straight hill: Over jumps, there's a testing climb along the back straight, and horses given a breather there often finish stronger. The third-last fence is widely seen as the trickiest.
• Back the favourite in National Hunt non-handicaps: Favourites have won about 43% of National Hunt non-handicaps at Gowran, compared with around 26% of Flat handicaps.
• Follow Mullins and Townend over jumps: Willie Mullins has trained more than 200 National Hunt winners at Gowran Park (27%), and in recent seasons he has won with 10 of his 18 hurdle runners here. Paul Townend has won on eight of his 13 recent hurdle rides.
• Follow the O'Briens on the Flat: Joseph O'Brien is the leading Flat trainer here in recent seasons, and Aidan O'Brien has a long-term strike rate of 23%. Billy Lee, Colin Keane and Dylan Browne McMonagle lead the recent jockeys' table.

Gowran Park Race Track Guide

The Gowran Park race track is a right-handed oval of around a mile and a half, with some undulations, although it's essentially a galloping course. The home straight is about three furlongs long and runs uphill all the way to the finish, so it's a demanding end to every race.

Over jumps, the chase course runs outside the hurdles track. There are seven fences per circuit, three of them in the uphill home straight, and the run-in after the last fence is about a furlong. There's also a testing climb on the back straight, which means stamina comes into play even in shorter races on softer ground.

Draw and Ground

On the Flat, a low draw is important over seven furlongs because the bend comes so soon after the start. Over longer trips, the draw matters less, but horses that can race handily usually have the advantage.

Gowran's going is usually good or good to yielding during the summer Flat meetings. The winter jumps fixtures, including the Thyestes in January, are often run on soft or heavy ground. In those conditions, the uphill finish and the climb up the back straight make it a severe test of stamina, so check the latest going and any inspection news before racing.

Big Races at Gowran Park

• Goffs Thyestes Chase (January): The Thyestes is a Grade 3 handicap chase over about 3m 1f and one of Ireland's most important trials for the Aintree and Irish Grand Nationals. It was won by Arkle in 1964, and later winners include Hedgehunter and Nick Rockett, who both went on to win at Aintree. In 2026, it was won by Now Is The Hour.
• October Festival (Grade 2 chase): The October Festival features a Grade 2 chase over about two and a half miles, traditionally known as the Champion Chase. Sizing Europe won it four years in a row from 2011 to 2014.
• Red Mills Day (February): Red Mills Day is one of the best-known jumps fixtures of the Irish winter calendar.
• Denny Cordell Lavarack Stakes (September): This Group 3 race for fillies is Gowran's most important Flat race, and the course also stages several Listed races during the summer.

History

Gowran Park opened on 16 June 1914 with a mixed card of Flat races and steeplechases, offering prize money of £130. The present race company was formed in 1948 under managing director Jack Duggan. Gowran then led the way with Ireland's first on-course commentary in 1952 and the first Tote Jackpot in 1966. A new €3.5 million grandstand opened in 2003, and the Denny Cordell Lavarack Stakes became the course's first Group 3 race in 2006.

Top Trainers and Jockeys at Gowran Park

Willie Mullins is the leading National Hunt trainer at Gowran with 201 winners. Gordon Elliott (68) and Noel Meade (66) are next. On the Flat, Aidan O'Brien (146 winners) and Dermot Weld (137) lead the long-term table.

Among the jockeys, Paul Townend has ridden 78 National Hunt winners at Gowran, just ahead of Davy Russell (76) and Ruby Walsh (71). The late Pat Smullen is the leading Flat jockey with 112 winners, with Colin Keane close behind on 104. Source: IrishRacing.com.

Visiting Gowran Park

Gowran Park is on the R448 just outside Gowran village, about 10 minutes' drive from Kilkenny city and 130 km south of Dublin. From the M9, leave at Junction 7 (Paulstown) and follow the signs for Gowran. The main car park is just past the entrance.

The nearest train stations are Kilkenny and Thomastown, both on the Dublin–Waterford line, and taxis are available at each. Bus Éireann's Expressway route 4 runs through Gowran village. On race days, a free shuttle bus runs from The Gaol Road in Kilkenny city, leaving an hour before the first race. Ladies Day, held in July, is one of the most popular days of the summer.

Watching Gowran Park Racing Live

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

Bookmakers for Gowran Park Races

All the major UK and Irish bookmakers price up every Gowran Park race. Look for Best Odds Guaranteed on Irish racing, and extra places on big handicaps such as the Thyestes, which often attracts a full field of 18 runners.

Gowran Park Racing FAQs

Is Gowran Park racing on today?

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

Is Gowran Park racing abandoned today?

Gowran occasionally has to inspect or abandon its winter jumps meetings because of heavy rain or frost. Any inspection or abandonment is shown on this page as soon as it's announced.

Where can I find Gowran Park race results?

Gowran Park racing results are added to this page as each race is settled, including the winners and starting prices. Results from earlier meetings stay available afterwards.

Where is Gowran Park race track?

Gowran Park is in County Kilkenny, just outside Gowran village and about 13 km east of Kilkenny city. It's reached from Junction 7 of the M9.

When is the Thyestes Chase?

The Goffs Thyestes Chase is run every January at Gowran Park. In 2026, it took place on 22 January.

Is there flat racing at Gowran Park?

Yes. Most of Gowran Park's meetings are on the Flat, from spring to autumn, and the National Hunt season runs through the winter.