Leopardstown Racecourse Guide

Leopardstown is one of the jewels in the Irish racing crown, the track based close to the heart of Dublin city and staging top-class action both on the Flat and over jumps. 

The course, built by Captain George Quin and modelled on Sandown Park, was completed in 1888, and is a mere five miles south of the Dublin city centre, ensuring it offers the perfect setting for racegoers hoping to sample brilliant racing combined with a visit to Ireland's capital city.

Here's our guide to Leopardstown racecourse.

Leopardstown Racecourse Location

Where is Leopardstown?

Leopardstown is a suburb of Dublin, at the foot of the Wicklow Mountains.

How to get to Leopardstown Racecourse?

By Train

The Luas light rail offers a regular service on the Green Line from St Stephens Green in Dublin city centre to the Sandyford/Brewery Road stop.

Leopardstown Racecourse is just a short walk from the Sandyford stop, however there are complimentary shuttle bus services between the stop and the racecourse on race days.

By Bus

A number of Dublin Bus routes including the 46A, 145 and 155 can be used to get to the venue, while the 114 to/from Blackrock DART station stops at the main gate of the racecourse.

By Car

• Located just six miles south of Dublin city centre, it is advised to take the J15 Exit off the M50 and park in Car Park G

• You can also get to the racecourse by using the J14 Exit, but there will be long delays via this route

Leopardstown Racecourse Layout

Track Layout

The flat circuit at Leopardstown is a wide, left-handed oval track of around a-mile-and-three-quarters. The course is fairly level except for a slight rise from the last bend and the turns are easy, essentially making it a galloping track.

They tend to get racing a long way from the finishing line and that tends to make the races real strong tests of stamina.

The left-handed jumps course is also wide in nature and a-mile-and-three-quarters in length. The jumping tests are fair, though three of the fences in the back straight are close together and that can catch out some less experienced chasers.

The inner hurdles course is rather sharper in character than the chase track and tends to provide a significant test of tactical speed.

The wide nature of the track at Leopardstown helps to ensure that 'hard luck stories' are less prevalent here. 

Enclosures and Viewing Areas

• Champions Bar

• Grandstand

• Members Bar

• New Racing Hall

• Hurricane's

• Colour's Bar

• Legacy Wine Bar

• Leopardstown Pavilion

Key Races at Leopardstown 

Flat

Irish Champion Stakes

The centrepiece of Leopardstown's flat season is the Irish Champion Stakes, a raceday which now makes up one half of Irish Champions Weekend in September alongside the Curragh.

Open to horses aged three years or older and set over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs, this Group 1 has been won a record 12 times by trainer Aidan O'Brien.

Economics, for William Haggas, won the 2024 edition.

1000 Guineas Trial

A Group 3 flat race set over 7f that is open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies, the 1000 Guineas Trial can serve as a trial for various fillies' Classics in Europe.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien won this race for a record-extending 12th time in 2023 with Never Ending Story.

Jumps

Irish Champion Hurdle

Part of the Dublin Racing Festival, this Grade 1 is staged over a distance of around 2m and is seen as the equivalent of the Champion Hurdle in England.

Trainer Willie Mullins has won this race a record nine times, with three of those successes with State Man in the last three editions.

Irish Arkle

Set over a distance of around 2m 1f, there are 11 fences to jump in this Grade 1 steeplechase.

Several winners of this race have gone on to win the British counterpart, the Arkle Challenge Trophy, with El Fabiolo the most recent to achieve this in 2023.

Irish Gold Cup

Also part of the Dublin Racing Festival, this Grade 1 is ran over around 3m and has served as a leading trial for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Willie Mullins' Galopin Des Champs has won this race the last three years, extending taking the Irish maestro's all-time record in this race to 14 victories.

Savills Chase

With 17 fences to be jumped in a race set over 3m, the Savills Chase was won in 2024 by Galopin Des Champs for the second year running.

This was the fourth victory in the race for trainer Willie Mullins, leaving him just one behind all-time leader Michael Hourigan.

Christmas Hurdle

One of the feature races of Leopardstown's Christmas Festival, this Grade 1 National Hunt Hurdle has been run as the Jack De Bromhead Christmas Hurdle since 2022.

Home by the Lee claimed the spoils in 2024, adding to the victory in 2022. Apple's Jade is the most successful horse in the race with three wins (2017, 2018, 2019).

Leopardstown Racecourse History

Leopardstown Racecourse Opening Date

Leopardstown Racecourse, which was inspired by Sandown Park Racecourse, opened in 1888.

When was the first Dublin Racing Festival?

The newly created Dublin Racing Festival, which is a two-day event, was established in February 2018.

Other events at Leopardstown Racecourse

Leopardstown golf course and club house is situated in the middle of the racetrack, while The "Bulmers Live at Leopardstown" music festival takes place every summer between June and August.

A farmers' market is also on-site every Friday.