Irish Champions Festival
Irish Champions Festival 2026 ticket inclusive hotel packages from £399 per person.
Step into one of Ireland’s premier racing spectacles and soak up the electric atmosphere of the Irish Champions Festival. Held across two world-class racecourses – Leopardstown and The Curragh – this unmissable weekend is a true celebration of elite flat racing, Irish culture, and sporting excellence.
Whether you’re a seasoned racing fan or simply looking for an unforgettable weekend away, this is your chance to experience it all in style. We offer carefully selected hotels, official tickets, exclusive hospitality packages, and bespoke experiences to ensure your trip is seamless from start to finish.
Official Tickets & Hospitality
As a partner of both Leopardstown Racecourse and The Curragh we only offer official tickets & hospitality
Exclusive Events
Join us at events such as our exclusive drinks evening with our ambassador Ruby Walsh
Bespoke Experiences
Let our team of racing & travel experts build your perfect itinerary with your choice of hotel, hospitality and more
On-site Racing Breaks Team
You’ll be joined in Dublin by our team of racing & travel experts who will be on hand to assist you 24/7 to ensure you have the best trip.
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The Irish Champions Festival with Racing Breaks
Irish Champions Festival Hotel Packages
Make your Irish Champions Festival experience even more memorable with one of our carefully curated hotel packages starting from £399 per person.
All experiences can be booked with just a 30% deposit and include accommodation, official tickets, all transfers, and optional hospitality to ensure a seamless and stress-free trip.
from £329 per person
- One (or more) nights accommodation at Lawlor’s Hotel
- Breakfast each morning
- Invite to Preview Show
- Return racecourse transfers to Leopardstown & The Curragh
- Weekend admission ticket to the Irish Champions Festival
Optional:
- Airport transfers
- Additional night(s) and raceday(s)
- Hospitality upgrades
- Excursions
- Great Location
- Central Naas Location
- On-site Dining
- On-site Bar
from £399 per person
- Return airport coach transfers
- Two (or more) nights accommodation at the Clayton Hotel Leopardstown
- Breakfast each morning
- Free drink at the hotel
- Ruby Walsh Drinks Evening (incl. in 3 night package only)
- Private tour of the Irish National Stud & Gardens
- Return racecourse transfers
- Weekend ticket to the Irish Champions Festival
- Daily Racing Post
- On-site Racing Breaks staff
- Great Location
- Restaurant on-site
- Popular on-site bar
- Easy Airport Access
from £699 per person
Trip Dates: 10th – 14th September 2026
- Return airport coach transfers
- Four (or more) nights accommodation at the Clayton Hotel Leopardstown
- Breakfast each morning
- Free drink at the hotel
- Ruby Walsh Drinks Evening
- Private tour of the Irish National Stud & Gardens
- Return racecourse transfers (including Thursday to Laytown)
- Ticket to Laytown Races
- Weekend ticket to the Irish Champions Festival
- Daily Racing Post
- On-site Racing Breaks staff
- Great Location
- Restaurant on-site
- Popular on-site bar
- Easy Airport Access
Irish Champions Festival Tickets
There are two main options for racegoers at Leopardstown and The Curragh during the Irish Champions Festival weekend, General Admission & Premium Level Seats.
You can choose to upgrade on one or both of the racedays, the choice is yours!
General Admission
Weekend Ticket
Included as standard
General Admission tickets give access to the entire main enclosure at both racecourses including the lower level of the Grandstand.
Guests can view the Parade Ring and Winner’s Enclosure as well as accessing great views of the track including the Winning Post from the steps in front of the grandstand.
Premium Level Seats
Saturday (Leopardstown)
Upgrade from £75 per person
Located on the third floor of the grandstand, premium level seats offer access to unreserved stadium seats for the day, access to the Premium Level of the Grandstand and the Circle Lounge area on the 3rd floor. This ticket also offers access to everywhere that the General Admission ticket allows you.
Reserved Seats
Sunday (The Curragh)
Upgrade from £45 per person
Receive a designated seat in The Curragh’s grandstand, allowing you to come and go all day and experience incredible views of the racecourse.
Irish Champions Festival Hospitality
From refined restaurant dining with seasonally inspired menus to relaxed, all‑inclusive hospitality options with excellent views of the racing at both Leopardstown and The Curragh, the Irish Champions Festival offers something for a wide range of tastes and budgets. Whether you’re enjoying a gourmet meal with panoramic views over the parade ring or sharing food and drinks with friends in stylish lounges or private suites, you can shape your Festival weekend around exceptional hospitality and world‑class racing experiences.
Irish Champions Pavilion
from £120 per person
- Admission ticket & pavilion swing badge
- Reserved table for the day
- Festival food grazing menu with BBQ options
- Race programme
- Champions Pavilion entertainment
- Resident all day MC/tipster
- Tote betting service
- After racing entertainment
St Leger Panoramic Restaurant
from £250 per person
- Admission ticket
- Reserved table for the day
- 3 course a la carte menu
- Tea/coffee
- Tote betting facilities at your table
- Race card
- Free parking (first come first served basis)
Exclusive Inclusions
Tour of the Irish National Stud & Gardens
included in experience
We'll have a private guided tour of the stud and will then have some time to visit the stunning Japanese Gardens that can also be found on-site. Our transfers on Sunday morning will take us from our hotel to the Irish National Stud, before taking us onward to The Curragh for Sunday's racing.
Book any 3 night experience and receive a free invitation!
Join us in Dublin on Friday evening, the night before the start of the Irish Champions Festival gets under way, for our exclusive Racing Breaks Drinks Evening with Ruby Walsh!
RacingBreaks.com ambassador Ruby Walsh will take guests through some of the big races of the weekend and offer his expert insight & tips!
Enjoy a complimentary pint of Guinness and hear from Ruby and some other special guests at this event that is exclusively for RacingBreaks.com customers.
A great way to kick off the weekend!
About the Irish Champions Festival
The Irish Champions Festival has established itself as one of the premier events in the Irish and international Flat racing calendar. Spread across two unforgettable days in September, this spectacular festival combines world‑class competition with a vibrant festival atmosphere that celebrates the very best of Irish racing.
Irish Champions Stakes Day
Irish Champions Festival kicks off with a prestigious eight-race card at Leopardstown on Saturday featuring five Group races. The two feature races on the day are the Group 1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes and the Coolmore ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes.
The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, the second-best race in the Longines World Thoroughbred Rankings in 2020, and the Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes, ranked as the world’s best fillies and mares’ race for the past number of years, are the highlights on the opening afternoon at Leopardstown.
Irish St Leger Day
The Curragh Racecourse is home to all five Irish Classic races and is the venue for the second day of Irish Champions Festival.
Day two at the Curragh includes four Group 1 races, highlighted by the Comer Group International Irish St Leger, the final Irish Classic of the season, and the Flying Five Stakes, together with The Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes and the Moyglare Stud Stakes, two of the best juvenile races of the year which are likely to determine the champion two-year-olds in Europe once again.
Irish Champions Festival Dress Code
There is no official dress code at either Leopardstown or The Curragh for the Irish Champions Festival.
Style is at the heart of racing so smart casual attire is recommended, however it is suggested to dress comfortably and wear something that is weather appropriate for September time! The event presents an opportunity to get dressed up and many racegoers choose to do so!
Irish Champions Festival Raceday Timings
Irish Champions Festival Flights
There are regular flights to Dublin from many UK airports. Our experiences do not include flights, but they can be added to your package if required.
We book your racecourse transfers to coincide with your flight timings.
Customer Reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
The Irish Champions Festival 2026 takes place over two days: Saturday 12 September at Leopardstown Racecourse and Sunday 13 September at The Curragh. It is also widely known as Irish Champions Weekend.
It is Ireland’s premier flat racing festival and the showcase of the Irish Flat season. The weekend features seven Group 1 races (including the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes and the Comer Group International Irish St Leger), over €5 million in prize money, live entertainment and hospitality across two of Ireland’s top racecourses.
The Group 1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes is the feature race on Day 1 at Leopardstown on Saturday 12 September 2026 (currently scheduled around 5:00 pm – times subject to confirmation).
The Group 1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger (the final Irish Classic of the season) is the highlight of Day 2 at The Curragh on Sunday 13 September 2026.
Day 1 is at Leopardstown Racecourse (South County Dublin) and Day 2 is at The Curragh Racecourse (County Kildare).
Yes. All our Irish Champions Festival hotel packages include official weekend admission tickets to both days, plus transfers, breakfast and selected extras. Hospitality upgrades are available.
Typical packages include hotel accommodation, breakfast, official race tickets for both days, racecourse transfers, and often airport transfers or a private Irish National Stud tour. Many also feature an exclusive drinks evening. Packages start from around £329–£399 per person (or lower depending on hotel and nights).
Yes. Options range from the Champions Pavilion at Leopardstown (from ~£120 pp) to the St Leger Panoramic Restaurant at The Curragh (from ~£250 pp) and other premium lounges and restaurants. These can be added to any hotel package.
Leopardstown (Saturday): gates open at approximately 11:40 am.
The Curragh (Sunday): gates open at approximately 11:00 am.
There is no strict formal dress code. Smart casual is recommended. Many racegoers dress up, but comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing for mid-September is advised.
Yes. Free parking is available at both racecourses. Accessible parking is also provided (contact the courses in advance if needed).
Yes. At Leopardstown, children under 14 go free. At The Curragh, children under 18 go free when accompanied by a paying adult/guardian (photo ID required for 13–17 year olds). Family entertainment is available, especially at The Curragh.
Leopardstown is easily reached by car (M50), Luas (Sandyford stop + free shuttle) or taxi from Dublin.
The Curragh is accessible by car (M7), train/bus connections and a dedicated Expressway race-day bus service from Dublin. Our packages include transfers so you don’t need to worry about transport.
Yes – Irish Champions Festival and Irish Champions Weekend refer to the same two-day event.
