End of year celebration time at Kilbeggan Races

The Covid-19 virus in 2020 has altered all our lives into a questionable future and it will never be forgotten – but life must go on.

On that basis, Kilbeggan races is going on and indeed, even though the racing has been behind closed doors, this has been a very successful year. Nine race meetings between June 29 and October 12 took place, including the Axa Farm Insurance Midlands National of €75,000 in July. The final meeting of the year will be held on October 12, and it will include a Virtual Best Dressed Ladies Competition with a €3,000 Prize Fund.

Paddy Dunican, Managing Director, stated: “It has been a very trying year in 2020 organising our race meetings behind closed doors. Horse Racing Ireland have rescheduled all our race meetings that we lost during the lockdown and we are lucky that sponsors continued to support us during these difficult times.

“We miss the thousands of loyal supporters, that have greatly supported the development of Kilbeggan Races over the years. We all hope that Covid-19 will go and that we will be back racing in Kilbeggan, like the old days.”

The AXA Farm Insurance Midlands National of €75,000 is now one of the most prestigious chases of the summer racing season, with this year’s race being broadcast live on RTE television featuring Ruby Walsh and Jane Mangan, attracting its best quality horses ever.

Many useful horses like Willie Mullins Galway Hurdle winner Aramon (and possible Champion Hurdle candidate) won his maiden hurdle in Kilbeggan and Tiger Roll won a novice chase.

A big entry was received for the race including the Leinster Grand National winner, Cap York, Joseph O’Brien’s Cheltenham Festival winner Early Doors, Gordon Elliott’s Dinons, a three-time winner over fences last season, and Henry de Bromhead’s entry Judgement Day.

The live race was a thriller as it was shown on the special RTÉ broadcast with Freewheelin Dylan beating Three Musketeers by a nose with Swingbridge just 1¼ lengths behind. Many Kilbeggan horses to watch for in the future ran like Willie Mullins’ duo of Sayo and N’Golo; Gordon Elliott’s novice Malone Road and Mangil Khan; Charles Byrne’s Doctor Duffy won a novice and was favourite for the Kerry National where he finished third; Joseph O’Brien’s Tigris River and Grade 1 winner A Wave of the Sea; another winner Mindmadeup also won the Galway Blazer’s Chase; and The West Awake will win a big race.

Sadly, we can’t invite everyone to come for the first race at around 2.15pm to meet friends, family etc but hopefully next year we will all be meeting again with hugs or shaking hands.

Bellamianta Luxury Tanning founder Linda Stinson will take the reins to judge the Kilbeggan Races Bellamianta Luxury Tanning and Wineport Lodge Virtual Ladies Day on Friday October 9.

The annual glamour outing is replaced with a virtual addition this year, which will see entrants show off their fabulous wears on social media, all vying for the winning prize.

The ultimate winner will receive prizes from Bellamianta Luxury Tanning, The Wineport Lodge and other participating brands, worth in excess of €3,000, with the nine finalists securing fabulous goodie bags from Irelands’ number one tan.

To enter the competition, ladies are asked to:

Starting at 9am on Friday October 9 until 8pm on Saturday October 10, entrants are asked to share a head-to-toe photo of their outfit on Kilbeggan’s Facebook page or Instagram stories, tagging in the Kilbeggan Races and @bellamianta, and use the hashtag #KilbegganVLD.

Make sure you include details of your entire outfit and where you are from, as well as anything else you’d like to include. Linda Stinson will select ten finalists and one will be crowned the winner. The remaining nine will each receive a goodie bag bursting with gorgeous prizes from Bellamianta Luxury Tanning and Polished London luxury products.

The winner and nine finalists will be announced at 9pm on Saturday October 10 on Kilbeggan Races Facebook and Instagram accounts.