Horse Name

I would like to extend a warm Curragh welcome to you all here today for the first day of our Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby weekend – the highlight of the season here at the Curragh. After two years of Covid restrictions, we are very much enjoying being able to welcome racegoers back to the Curragh and I hope that you have a good evening. We have made changes to our offering this year which we hope you will enjoy, and we are always interested in hearing customer feedback. Please try out our Lilywhites Bar and the various facilities in Champions Hall. Free seating is also available at the front of the stand throughout the final furlong. After racing tonight, we welcome Qween, Europe’s most authentic Queen tribute band, who will play in the Parade Ring Plaza. In 2022, the Curragh will stage 23 race meetings an increase of two over last year - and we have an exciting programme of quality flat racing on offer throughout the year. We are very grateful to tonight’s sponsors - Irish EBF, Hollywood Bets, the Westgrove Hotel Clane, Comer Group International and Douglas Newman Good for the support which they have given us this evening. This support, together with that of Horse Racing Ireland, is critical to underpinning prize money levels here at the Curragh. I would like to thank all owners with runners here today also - we hope your experience is a good one and thank you for your support. We are now on the final countdown to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby tomorrow and we look forward to a wonderful day’s racing. I hope you enjoy your evening and look forward to welcoming you back here at the Curragh many more times during the season.

Brian Kavanagh Chief Executive