Looking for something to do today?

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Go Harness Racing @ Portmarnock Raceway.... bring the wife (or somebody's else's wife) and the kids (or leave them all at home and hit the bar) and enjoy some top-class racing...


HR Ad by burgomeister08, on Flickr

UrbanSea

That'd be a good day out

Caveman1

I used to go here all the time as a kid, just heard that its reopened, when is the next day that racing is on, defo gonna head out with the oh

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Caveman1 wrote: »

I used to go here all the time as a kid, just heard that its reopened, when is the next day that racing is on, defo gonna head out with the oh

Hi Caveman - the next meeting is this Sunday. There will be no meeting the following Sunday (June 3) but we will be racing pretty much every Sunday until the end of October after that. I'll maybe keep updating this thread to keep people posted on racedates etc.

Be sure to pick up tomorrow's Evening Herald (if it's not in tomorrow, it will definitely be in Friday) for a free bet voucher.

Hope to see you there on Sunday!

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Eight races - plus an apprentice drivers' race - down for decision on Sunday afternoon lads and lassies. First race goes behind the gate @ 2.30... Only €20 for a family ticket - come one, come all!


HRAD by burgomeister08, on Flickr

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Just to mention... the Dublin-Kildare Leinster FC semi-final and the Irish Derby will both be shown live (on-course bookmakers will take bets on the Derby - probably the Gah too if you ask them!) in the bar at Portmarnock on Sunday...

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First race @ 2.30 tomorrow, as usual... Entries and some Tips in today's Evening Herald... Enjoy!

Bluetonic

What have the crowds been like?

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Bluetonic wrote: »

What have the crowds been like?

The crowds have been from about 500 up to 1000 on the first day which is about the kind of average we expected. The "official" opening will take place in the next week or two and will hopefully draw a bumper crowd and bumper entry of horses too.

califano

Glad to see this back. I had assumed they developed on that land but im obviously wrong about that.
I remember going there a couple of times years ago!, It was a bit run down back then and only a shack of a pavillion bar. A traveller must have struck big one time as he declared a free bar till end of racing. Actually quite a high percentage of travellers there as i remember in the crowd and the owning/training racing side of it, id say 60-70% were travellers.
According to the website its on again this sunday?

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rounders123 wrote: »

Glad to see this back. I had assumed they developed on that land but im obviously wrong about that.
I remember going there a couple of times years ago!, It was a bit run down back then and only a shack of a pavillion bar. A traveller must have struck big one time as he declared a free bar till end of racing. Actually quite a high percentage of travellers there as i remember in the crowd and the owning/training racing side of it, id say 60-70% were travellers.
According to the website its on again this sunday?

Yes, Portmarnock is on this Sunday and most Sundays until the end of October.

I must say, nothing against travellers at all, but I've been going harness racing all my life and I haven't come across anything like the numbers you're quoting. Take last Sunday's card for example, I can't think of one "traveller-owned" horse, for want of a better phrase.

Anyhoo, the racing is fun and there's bouncy castles n whatnot for the kids and beer n whatnot for the adults

coldstream4444

Thank you for this information. I have been heavily involved in harness racing in the U.S. and can't wait to see it in Ireland!

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coldstream4444 wrote: »

Thank you for this information. I have been heavily involved in harness racing in the U.S. and can't wait to see it in Ireland!

Hoping to make my fifth visit in six years to the Little Brown Jug next month. Can't beat it. Cheltenham? Pffft! :P

Have been to the Meadowlands, Freehold and Lexington in the past as well as msot Canadian tracks. Quite a few Irishmen and women dotted around the US and Canada working in the harness racing game.

coldstream4444

That is great, never been to a Jug myself but have been to the venue several times at horse sales held there. More of a trotting man myself so the Hambo is my Kentucky Derby.

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coldstream4444 wrote: »

That is great, never been to a Jug myself but have been to the venue several times at horse sales held there. More of a trotting man myself so the Hambo is my Kentucky Derby.

Still haven't made it to the Hambo yet. How about George Brennan on the double last Saturday?

If you're a lover of trotters, I would recommend a trip to Sweden or France (or both!) at some stage. Nobody knows trotters like those guys.

califano

I'm going to head this Sunday. Is the 1st race still 2.30pm?. Did anyone go recently?.

coldstream4444

Looking forward to see harness racing in Ireland. Any info on meetings in Cork after Sept 29?