Bellewstown racecourse is found in Co Meath to the west of the Irish Sea and south of the Mountains of Mourne. The racecourse has only five racing days a year – not much compared to other popular racecourses in the land. However, because the course doesn’t see much action, the five days are special and often well-attended. We will look at the course history, how it’s built and how you can place bets during the meetings.
Today’s Racing Tips at Bellewstown
The following table will show our predictions whenever there are scheduled races.
| Time | Course | Horse Name | Forecast SP | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:15 | CATTERICK | Beaujolais Nouveau | 3.75 | Jason Hart | Ben Haslam |
| 14:45 | CATTERICK | Flight Radar | 1.08 | Pierre-Louis Jamin | K R Burke |
| 15:15 | CATTERICK | Alice's Impact | 3.75 | Jason Hart | John & Sean Quinn |
| 15:50 | CATTERICK | Desert Dream | 5 | Dale Swift | Seb Spencer |
| 16:25 | CATTERICK | Twoforthegutter | 6.5 | Mark Winn | Christopher Kellett |
| 16:55 | CATTERICK | Ready Freddie Go | 3.25 | Harry Russell | Ollie Pears |
| 17:30 | CATTERICK | Howzak | 6 | Billy Garritty | Liam Bailey |
| 18:00 | CATTERICK | Highjacked | 5 | David Nolan | John Davies |
| 14:30 | MUSSELBURGH | Lightning Galaxy | 2.75 | Paul Mulrennan | Michael Dods |
| 15:00 | MUSSELBURGH | Rex Carver | 2.38 | Joe Fanning | Charlie Johnston |
| 15:35 | MUSSELBURGH | Evelyn's Phoenix | 4.33 | David Allan | Tim Easterby |
| 16:05 | MUSSELBURGH | Simple Star | 4.33 | Paul Mulrennan | Dianne Sayer |
| 16:45 | MUSSELBURGH | Evelyn's Phoenix | 4.33 | David Allan | Tim Easterby |
| 17:05 | MUSSELBURGH | Protest Rally | 4.5 | Tom Kiely-Marshall | Liam Bailey |
| 16:40 | WORCESTER | She Has Notions | 4.33 | Sean Bowen | Martin Keighley |
| 17:10 | WORCESTER | Kinondo Kwetu | 3.5 | Jonathan England | Sam England |
| 17:40 | WORCESTER | Queen Of The Vale | 2.5 | Gavin Sheehan | Jamie Snowden |
| 18:10 | WORCESTER | Full Monty | 8 | Jonathan Burke | Fergal O'Brien |
| 18:40 | WORCESTER | Kiss My Face | 5.5 | Murray Dodd | Alastair Ralph |
| 19:10 | WORCESTER | Jumeirah King | 4 | Sam Twiston-Davies | Anthony Honeyball |
| 19:40 | WORCESTER | My Chiquita | 5.5 | Jack Quinlan | B F Brookhouse |
| 18:00 | KEMPTON (A.W) | Dunamase | 2.5 | James Doyle | John & Thady Gosden |
| 18:30 | KEMPTON (A.W) | Upscale | 2 | Oisin Murphy | Andrew Balding |
| 19:00 | KEMPTON (A.W) | Cognisance | 1.8 | Tom Marquand | William Haggas |
| 19:30 | KEMPTON (A.W) | Carpathian | 3.75 | Daniel Muscutt | James Ferguson |
| 20:00 | KEMPTON (A.W) | South Pole | 8 | Billy Loughnane | George Boughey |
| 20:30 | KEMPTON (A.W) | Felicity | 3.5 | James Doyle | William Haggas |
| 21:00 | KEMPTON (A.W) | Inappropriate | 4 | George Wood | Harry Eustace |
Find all today’s latest free horse racing predictions, including Bellewstown’s (All-weather and turf tracks) from the UK and Ireland’s most respected professionals.
Racecourse history
It’s unclear when the first horse race was held in Bellewstown. However, the first recorded horse race was in August 1726 during the Dublin Gazette and the weekly Courier. But it wasn’t until 1780 that the former Mayor of Drogheda, George Tandy, persuaded King George III to sponsor a meeting at the racecourse.
Because of the king’s involvement, the race was titled His Majesty’s Plate. King George III donated £100, which was a lot at the time. The royals continued sponsoring the races until 1980, when His Majesty’s Plate was discontinued following the British monarchy’s decision to sponsor the Royal Whip held at Curragh.
Even though the racecourse isn’t as active as other Irish racecourses, there has been a push to improve its facilities. The management started realigning the home to ensure they could host faster and safer races. In 2014, a new entrance building was completed, the betting ring was upgraded, and the grandstands were fitted with crowd barriers.
Let’s rewind the clock to 1975 because Bellewstown history wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Yellow Sam Coup.
Bellewstown was where Barney Curley masterminded the largest sports betting coups in the world. The scheme was well-orchestrated and legal and involved many of Barney’s acquaintances and friends, who placed a large series of small bets under the handicapped Yellow Sam, who traded at 20/1. Yellow Sam won the hurdle races by 2.5 lengths, forcing betting shops to pay out €300,000, equating to €1.7m in today’s economy.
Yellow Sam was targeted during this race, given his past poor performance due to unsuitable tracks and unfavourable conditions. Another element that made this coup successful was that Bellewstown had limited communication systems. There were only two phone lines, and they cut one of them. The other public phone was used by a key coup player who claimed he was calling a dying aunt (it was later discovered he didn’t have a dying aunt).
Without a means to communicate with the racecourse, of course, bookies all around Ireland who had accepted the small wagers on Yellow Sam couldn’t get a price cut or dump their liabilities.
Though Barney hit bookies multiple times after this, with legal and cunning plans, the Yellow Sam Coup was his most successful.
The course
Flat course
The Bellewstown racecourse is 1 mile and 6 furlongs long. It’s undulating and has chambers, sharp turns, and an uphill finish, making it challenging for horses. Horses need excellent balance to win races.
Moreover, speed is crucial as it helps when horses are trying to tackle challenges on the course. Many flat races start on the chute. And since there is a large turn to the finishing post, a low draw might be an advantage.
Hurdle course
The jump course has five obstacles. Like the flat course, it’s left-handed and tight. However, the corners aren’t as sharp because the course is on the outside track. The straight stretches are long enough for a horse to fight for its position or push to the front of the pack and win.
Most races in Bellewstown are held in summer when the ground is well watered, so it is never too hard.
Main racing events
Bellewstown August Festival
This festival is held in July and August. Three days in July and two in August. Though not the most popular festival, it attracts a significantly large crowd.
Mullacurry Cup Handicap hurdle
The Mullacurry Cup Handicap Hurdle is the festival’s highlight. It has a €20,000 prize and is one of the most competitive races on the course, where jockeys race for 2.5 miles.
Where to bet on Bellewstown races
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If you want to participate in the races by betting, you can do it through local bet shops or online betting sites. In this day and age, we recommend using online betting sites for various reasons:
They have better odds—running an online business has fewer overheads than a physical shop. The sites can profit from small margins, translating into more money for bettors.
Education – for beginners, picking the horse to bet on can be tricky. To make an informed decision, you need to understand a horse’s race history. The betting site provides some data you can review and use to make informed bets.
Promotions – betting sites constantly run promotions to keep you lured to them. Though these promotions have wagering requirements, they are a good source of extra cash for those who meet them.
Place bets any time – the beauty of working with online betting sites is that you can bet on your favourite horse any time of the day before the race starts. With betting shops, you have to stick to normal working hours.
How to get to the racecourse
Self-drive
You can access Bellewstown racecourse through the M1 Motorway, exit at Julianstown, and join R132. Continue to Drogheda, and when you get to Green service station, take a left turn at the Bellewstown signpost. From here on out, follow the signs to the racecourse.
Taxi
You can call a taxi from the Drogheda railway station to get you to the racecourse.
Shuttle bus
This is a free bus that serves Dublin Connelly. It also serves Drogheda Town Center and leaves the Abbey car park an hour before the first race.
Rail
You can access the racecourse through the Irish Rail at Drogheda Station (which is also the closest).
Final thoughts on Bellewstown
Bellewstown racecourse has seen its fair share of ups and downs. While it might not be the largest or busiest, it has great scenery and attracts a decent crowd yearly during the festivals. Its rich history and challenging tracks make it a standout venue in Ireland. For those looking to bet on the races, online betting platforms provide the best odds, convenience, and access to valuable insights, making them the preferred choice over traditional betting shops. Whether you’re attending in person or placing bets online, the racecourse delivers a memorable experience.