Horse Racing Ireland October 2026 Fixtures
Full October 2026 Irish racing calendar: Leopardstown's Super Saturday, Down Royal's Kauto Star weekend, Punchestown, Gowran Park and the Curragh.
October is where the Irish Flat season winds down and the jumps season properly wakes up. The month opens with two Listed races at the Curragh, builds through a strong Gowran Park and Punchestown jumps card, peaks with Leopardstown's Super Saturday weekend, and closes with the month's only Grade 1 — the Kauto Star Steeplechase at Down Royal. Below is the October 2026 list as published in the Horse Racing Ireland fixture sheet we compiled, followed by a look at the month's key dates. September's card is in our September fixtures guide.
October 2026 fixtures
Race gradings shown are as published by HRI: Grade/Group 1 is the highest tier, followed by Grade/Group 2, Grade/Group 3, then Listed. This page is a fixture guide, not a tipsheet. Recreational betting winnings are not taxed as income for ordinary Irish punters — see gambling tax in Ireland. 18+.
| Date | Racecourse | Major races |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 01 | Bellewstown | — |
| Thu 01 | Clonmel | — |
| Fri 02 | Dundalk | Irish Stallion Farms EBF Legacy Stakes (Listed); Irish Stallion Farms EBF StarAppeal Stakes (Listed) |
| Fri 02 | Gowran Park | ISF EBF Mucklemeg (Mares) INH Flat Race (Listed) |
| Sat 03 | Gowran Park | Boylesports Novice Hurdle (Grade 3); Gowran Park Hurdle (Listed); Like A Butterfly Novice Steeplechase (Grade 3); PWC Danoli Steeplechase (Grade 2) |
| Sun 04 | Curragh | Coolmore Sioux Nation Concorde Stakes (Listed); Hailey Irish EBF Brigid's Pastures Stakes (Listed) |
| Sun 04 | Killarney | — |
| Mon 05 | Fairyhouse | — |
| Mon 05 | Killarney | — |
| Tue 06 | Galway | — |
| Wed 07 | Navan | — |
| Thu 08 | Thurles | — |
| Thu 08 | Tramore | — |
| Fri 09 | Downpatrick | — |
| Fri 09 | Dundalk | — |
| Sat 10 | Fairyhouse | — |
| Sat 10 | Naas | Irish Stallion Farms EBF Birdcatcher Nursery; RFL Steels Stakes (Listed) |
| Sun 11 | Cork | — |
| Sun 11 | Naas | Colm White Bookmaker Beggar's End Handicap; Irish EBF Auction Series Race Final; Irish Stallion Farms EBF Bluebell Stakes (Listed); Irish Stallion Farms EBF Garnet Stakes (Listed) |
| Mon 12 | Roscommon | — |
| Tue 13 | Punchestown | — |
| Wed 14 | Punchestown | Matchbook Betting Exchange Novice Steeplechase (Grade 3); Matchbook Betting Exchange Steeplechase (Grade 3) |
| Thu 15 | Curragh | — |
| Fri 16 | Dundalk | — |
| Sat 17 | Leopardstown | Killavullan Stakes (Group 3); Mongey Communications Eyrefield Stakes (Group 3) |
| Sat 17 | Limerick | Book Panoramic Restaurant Novice Hurdle (Listed); Irish EBF Cailin Alainn (Mares) Hurdle (Listed) |
| Sun 18 | Leopardstown | Trigo Stakes (Listed); Bahrain Turf Club Knockaire Stakes (Listed); Bahrain Turf Club October Handicap |
| Sun 18 | Limerick | Boylesports Munster National Handicap Steeplechase (Grade 3) |
| Mon 19 | Gowran Park | — |
| Tue 20 | Curragh | Silken Glider Stakes (Listed) |
| Wed 21 | Navan | — |
| Thu 22 | Clonmel | — |
| Fri 23 | Dundalk | Mercury Stakes (Group 3) |
| Fri 23 | Sligo | — |
| Sat 24 | Galway | — |
| Sun 25 | Galway | — |
| Sun 25 | Wexford | — |
| Mon 26 | Galway | — |
| Mon 26 | Wexford | Bettyville Steeplechase (Listed) |
| Wed 28 | Dundalk | — |
| Fri 30 | Down Royal | Feathard Lady Mares Novice Hurdle (Grade 3); Jezki Hurdle (Listed) |
| Fri 30 | Dundalk | — |
| Sat 31 | Down Royal | Kauto Star Steeplechase (Grade 1); Skymas Steeplechase (Grade 2) |
Five dates worth circling
Sunday 4 October — the Curragh. Two Listed races, the Coolmore Sioux Nation Concorde Stakes and the Hailey Irish EBF Brigid's Pastures Stakes, as the Flat season heads into its final stretch.
Wednesday 14 October — Punchestown. Two Grade 3 steeplechases on the same card, an early marker for the jumps season proper.
Saturday–Sunday 17–18 October — Leopardstown's "Super Saturday" weekend. Saturday's card carries two Group 3 races, the Killavullan Stakes and the Eyrefield Stakes — a strong two-year-old card that previews the following season's Classic generation. Sunday adds three more black-type races, including the Listed Trigo Stakes. Limerick runs in parallel both days, with the Grade 3 Munster National on the Sunday.
Friday 23 October — Dundalk. The Mercury Stakes (Group 3) is the month's top race under the floodlights.
Friday–Saturday 30–31 October — Down Royal. The month's headline jumps weekend: the Kauto Star Steeplechase, the only Grade 1 on October's list, run alongside the Grade 2 Skymas Steeplechase, the Grade 3 Feathard Lady Mares Novice Hurdle and the Listed Jezki Hurdle.
If Group and Grade races are what you're after, October's calendar front-loads black type into four weekends: 3–4 Oct, 13–14 Oct, 17–18 Oct and 30–31 Oct. The weeks in between are largely maiden and handicap cards.
The Curragh
Kildare's Flat headquarters hosts three cards this October — 4, 15 and 20 October — with Listed races on the 4th (Concorde Stakes, Brigid's Pastures Stakes) and the 20th (Silken Glider Stakes). For the track's longer story, see our Curragh racecourse history.
Free car parking on racedays. Shuttle buses from Kildare Town and Newbridge stations are advertised on curragh.ie — check that page for current times.
Road: M50 exit 9 onto N7, then M7 exit 12. Rail: Heuston (and Cork / Limerick / Galway / Waterford mains) to Kildare Town or Newbridge, then course shuttle.
curragh.ie · Newbridge, Co. Kildare, R56 RR67
Leopardstown Racecourse
Dublin's only racecourse runs its "Super Saturday" two-year-old card on 17 October, backed by the Killavullan and Eyrefield Stakes, with a Listed-heavy card the following day. Leopardstown describes it as a chance to see "the stars of next season" first — hospitality is available by contacting the course directly for group bookings.
Road: M50 south, exit 14, then Leopardstown Road; M50 north, exit 15; from town, N11 then R113. Bus: Dublin Bus. Luas: Green Line to Sandyford / Brewery Road; race-day shuttle from Sandyford. Air: Dublin Airport ~30 minutes via M50 south.
leopardstown.com · Foxrock, Dublin 18, D18 C9V6
Dundalk Stadium
Ireland's all-weather track runs six October fixtures, topped by the Mercury Stakes (Group 3) on Friday 23 October under the floodlights.
Road: M1, N52 exit. Bus: Bus Éireann 100x (Dublin Airport–Drogheda–Dundalk). Rail: Connolly to Dundalk. Air: Dublin Airport, with a bus link to Dundalk.
dundalkstadium.com · Racecourse Rd, Dowdallshill, Dundalk, Co. Louth, A91 FFP3
How we compiled this
Fixtures and race names are taken from the Horse Racing Ireland October 2026 calendar. A Leopardstown promotional note for "Super Saturday" carried a stale 2025 date; we've used the 2026 date confirmed by the fixture table instead, since the same card (Killavullan and Eyrefield Stakes) appears there for 17 October 2026. Betting context: our horse racing betting guide and horse wager calculator.
October racing FAQ
What is the biggest race in Ireland in October 2026?
The Kauto Star Steeplechase at Down Royal on Saturday 31 October is the month's only Grade 1.
When is Leopardstown's Super Saturday in 2026?
Saturday 17 October 2026, featuring the Killavullan Stakes and Eyrefield Stakes (both Group 3), with further Listed racing at Leopardstown the next day.
Is there jumps racing in October?
Yes — Gowran Park (3 October), Punchestown (13–14 October) and Down Royal (30–31 October) all carry graded steeplechases and hurdles this month.
When does Dundalk run its top October race?
Friday 23 October 2026, for the Mercury Stakes (Group 3) under the floodlights.
Do I pay tax on racing winnings in Ireland?
Recreational player winnings from licensed betting are not taxed as income for ordinary punters. The 2% betting duty is paid by the operator. See our gambling tax guide.
Sources
October 2026 dates and race names are from the Horse Racing Ireland fixture list. Leopardstown "Super Saturday" details are from the course's own promotional copy, checked against that 2026 table.
- 1Horse Racing Ireland — fixture list — official 2026 calendar
- 2The Curragh — October fixtures, Kildare shuttles
- 3Leopardstown Racecourse — Super Saturday card, hospitality contact
- 4Dundalk Stadium — Mercury Stakes, all-weather fixtures
- 5Irish Lucky — horse racing betting — odds, each-way and race context
- 6Horse wager calculator — win / place / each-way returns
- 7Horse Racing Ireland September 2026 fixtures — previous month's HRI list
Page Updates
Structured the October 2026 HRI fixture list and cross-checked the Leopardstown "Super Saturday" date against the fixture table.
Affiliate disclosure. Irish Lucky may earn a commission if you sign up through our links. That does not change our scores. Always read the operator's promotional T&Cs (18+). Play responsibly — responsible gambling.
Written by Seamus O'Connor · Racing carries financial risk. 18+ only. Confirm fixtures on the racecourse site before you travel.
Highlights
Sum It Up
- Down Royal, 30–31 October hosts the month's only Grade 1: the Kauto Star Steeplechase.
- Leopardstown's "Super Saturday," 17 October runs the Killavullan and Eyrefield Stakes (both Group 3), with a Listed-heavy Sunday card the next day.
- Punchestown, 13–14 October features two Grade 3 steeplechases on the Wednesday.
- Dundalk, 23 October runs the Mercury Stakes (Group 3) under the floodlights.
- Price a win / place / each-way on our horse wager calculator.
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October 2026 Irish fixtures from Horse Racing Ireland, with the month's graded and Listed races flagged. Always confirm on the racecourse site before you travel. 18+.
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About the Author
Seamus O'Connor
Senior Casino Analyst with over 8 years of experience in the Irish gambling industry. Seamus specializes in bonus analysis and player protection.