Walhaan and Red Oak offer each-way value for Ciaran Murphy's yard
Kilbeggan Races preview
Kilbeggan Racecourse’s last race meeting of their season takes place this Friday, September 5, and Kilbeggan can look back on their racing calendar with huge pride as they had fantastic racing throughout the year.
None more so than The Kilmurray’s Homevalue Hardware Midlands National, where Amirite trained by Henry de Bromhead, got the better of Mica Malpic, in a driving finish, with a huge crowd in attendance.
Kilbeggan prides itself on supporting local success, so it was great to see Liam Gavin of Rochfortbridge have a winner, which was trained by Ciaran Murphy of Mullingar. Ciaran Murphy will be back on Friday with Walhaan in the 4.32pm race, the Sean Daly Memorial Handicap Hurdle, over two miles, a race that also attracts top trainer Willie Mullins.
Ciaran Murphy also has Red Oak in the finale, the bumper at 7.07pm, where he is once again up against the Willie Mullins-trained Wartime Leader.
In a separate local connection, Cathal Ennis and his mother Carmel of Castletown Geoghegan, owned the winner of the bumper in one of Kilbeggan's other fixtures this season. The Whitegrass Racing syndicate from Ferbane also had a winner.
Kilbeggan can be very proud of the way they turned out their track under difficult summer conditions. Both the conditions on the track and the atmosphere inside the racecourse was greatly received and enjoyed by all in attendance at every racing fixture in Kilbeggan this year. With large numbers in attendance at every race meeting and sponsors lining up to come on board to sponsor a race at one of the racetrack’s fixtures, 2026 is looking like it is going to be just as exciting and as busy as this year has been.
With seven races on the card this coming Friday a great finale is in store. There is almost a tie between the leading trainers, with Henry de Bromhead now on eight wins, having just pulled ahead of Willie Mullins’ seven victories, at the most recent race meeting in Kilbeggan on August 22. It is looking like it is going to be an exciting finish.
Darragh O’Keefe stands out as the leading jockey on six wins at Kilbeggan this year, ahead of Paul Townend, who is on three wins.
There are two feature races on Friday – the Séan Daly Memorial Handicap Hurdle and The Kilsaran Handicap Steeplechase, which are sure to attract some top-quality horses. Caesar Rock, trained by Mouse Morris, is the current favourite for the Kilsaran Handicap Steeplechase at 6.37pm, but Henry De Bromhead's Nas Na Riogh and A Wave Of The Sea offer strong opposition.
Extra entertainment on the day is plentiful, with Shane Hagan providing some fantastic music in the marquee, the resident DJ playing music outside the Pavilion Bar, bouncy castles for the kids and an ice-cream van on site for the duration of the day. Plus, delicious food and drink available in the food-hall, the burger van and the bars inside the racecourse enclosure. With a little bit of something for everyone, why not go along and be a part of a great finish to what has been a super racing season at Kilbeggan Racecourse.