Thurles Races Today – Take Thurles Tips from Tipperary Track
The future of Thurles races today is uncertain right now. A privately owned racecourse for so much of its history, all that changed in 2025. The County Tipperary track passed from the Molony family into the hands of Horse Racing Ireland temporarily for the current National Hunt season.
Whether the sport’s governing body runs it beyond the Punchestown Festival remains to be seen. Key figures within Irish jumps racing want to see the Thurles Race Company continue as a going concern. Only time will tell if the track reaches its 300th anniversary in 2032. For now, we provide Thurles tips completely free of charge.
History of Thurles Racecourse
Documents in the Trinity College Dublin archives date horse racing at Thurles back to June 1732, almost three centuries ago. Although that isn’t quite so far back as Ascot in the UK, it isn’t far behind and makes the track one of the oldest in Ireland. Its close proximity to Thurles town centre, just a 1,500m walk away, puts the course at the heart of its local community.
Thurles races had a three-day festival of horse racing over the summer as one of four race meetings in its early years, throughout the Georgian period and Victorian Age. Other key fixtures took place in February, April and November. By the early 1900s, the track passed into the possession of the Molony family.
This lasted for four generations and over a century until August 2025 when they announced the immediate closure of the course to the surprise of many. At this point, Horse Racing Ireland stepped in and agreed to run Thurles and its full winter jump racing programme until March 2026.
Are Thurles Races Today Flat or Jumps?
Best known for Irish National Hunt racing, Thurles actually provides both Flat and jumps action. Horses run right-handed, that is clockwise, around an undulating track of about a mile-and-a-quarter round. A full circuit of Thurles Racecourse involves a climb down the back straight, then a sharp descent to the home turn and a steep uphill finish.
For hurdles races, there are either five or six flights on a complete lap depending on the distance of the event. There can be a line of three in the back stretch, but the middle one is an optional obstacle and not jumped in all Thurles races today. There is then a cross hurdle taken downhill and two more in the home straight before the winning post.
In the steeplechases, horses face seven fences on a complete circuit. There are three of these down the back straight each jumped racing uphill. Before the descent to the final bend, there’s an open ditch to navigate. A downhill plain fence next and before the home turn can catch some horses out. That leaves two more before the uphill finish and the line.
Key Thurles Races Fixtures & Meetings
There are plenty of winter jump racing fixtures on Thursdays at Thurles in the Irish National Hunt calendar. This is because, much like Kempton Park races near London, it produces good ground at a time of year when other tracks struggle to get their meetings on. While the Flat races at Thurles aren’t anything special, they do have some jumps events of interest.
The Grade 2 Kinloch Brae Chase card on a Sunday in mid-January is the course’s big day. There are also graded races from the track in February and March. A couple of Listed events headline racecards in November and December as well. These are run in memory of John Meagher and Bill Harney, respectively.
Like Counties Meath and Kildare, much close to the Irish capital Dublin, Tipperary has three racecourses within its boundaries. It accounts for almost half the tracks in the province of Munster. Joining Thurles in the north are Clonmel races in the south of the county and Tipperary itself to the west.
The Biggest Races We Have Thurles Tips on
With no big Flat races at Thurles, most of the horse racing tips on offer from the track focus on the jumps. There are seven graded or Listed races currently staged at this course. Each is worth a closer look as they attract interesting runners.
Anaglog’s Daughter Mares Novice Chase
Currently the Carey Glass Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase, this Grade 2 steeplechase for mares over an extended two-and-a-half miles in January is the most valuable of all Thurles races today. This is due to sponsorship. Previously partnered by Coolmore National Hunt Sires, alongside the European Breeders Fund, the event honours 1980 Irish & British Arkle heroine Anaglog’s Daughter.
Willie Mullins often targets this race with one of his best novice mares over fences, so that’s often the starting point for Thurles racing tips on this contest. Henry De Bromhead saddled Nara to victory in 2025, however, giving leading Irish owner JP McManus a record fourth win in it. They picked up a €29,500 first prize.
Kinloch Brae Chase
Now run as the Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase, this is the other Grade 2 over an extended two-and-a-half miles at Thurles and headline race in January. Inaugurated in 1997, the Kinloch Brae has produced subsequent winners of the Grand National at Aintree races, plus the Queen Mother Champion Chase, Gold Cup and Ryanair Chase for the Cheltenham Festival.
Two horses have won this race three times in Native Upmanship and Allaho. Again, Willie Mullins is the go-to trainer here. That’s because he has saddled the winner in five of the last six editions of an event that also has Don Cossack and Sizing John on its roll of honour. Appreciate It received €26,500 in prize money for his 2025 victory.
Pierce Molony Memorial Novice Chase
Registered as the Native Upmanship Novice Chase, this two-and-a-quarter miles Grade 3 race in March honours two former managers of Thurles races with the same name, grandfather and grandson from the Molony dynasty. Although only added to the pattern in 2017, useful horses like French Dynamite and Flame Bearer are already past winners.
Despite that short history, McManus owned the winner for a second time in 2025 when Joseph O’Brien runner Common Practice delivered. First place came with €17,700 in prize money for the dual-purpose trainer. The unique distance of this race should ensure its future, whatever happens to Thurles Racecourse in the future.
Michael Purcell Novices’ Hurdle
A Grade 3 novice hurdle over two-and-a-half miles that can fall either at the end of February or beginning of March. Gordon Elliott has had the better of things in his battles with Mullins in recent editions of the Michael Purcell, with four wins in the last five.
That’s an indicator where Thurles tips today should focus on. Waterlogging at the course in 2025 meant the race switched to Naas where Jacob’s Ladder won for Gigginstown House Stud. Largy Hill emerged victorious for Mullins when this event last took place at Thurles in 2024, however, with a first prize of €17,700 awarded for his efforts.
Colreevy Mares Novice Chase
A Listed steeplechase for mares over two-and-a-three-quarter miles at the end of February or start of March. This is one of the newer Thurles races today as it only had its inaugural edition in 2023. A waterlogged track meant the 2025 edition switched to Fairyhouse where Spindleberry justified an odds-on price in this event, which honours erstwhile stable companion Colreevy.
The previous year went to a rare British raider at Thurles when Stuart Edmunds successfully sent Marsh Wren across the Irish Sea. They collected €17,700 in prize money for their trouble. As with other events run here, whatever happens to the course in future, this contest could end up moving to a new permanent home if the track closes.
Boreen Belle Mares Novice Hurdle
A two-mile Listed novice hurdle for mares run on the final weekend before Christmas in December. Honeysuckle stands head and shoulders above the rest of the roll of honour. Smart Thurles horse racing tips should focus on runners from the Joseph O’Brien, Gordon Elliott and Henry De Bromhead stables here.
Amen Kate landed the 2025 edition of the Boreen Belle, run in memory of Bill Harney. Her success at a 14/1 Starting Price for Tralee trainer Tom Cooper added another handler’s name to the past winners. Connections of Amen Kate picked up prize money of €17,700 for finishing first.
John Meagher Memorial Chase
A Listed steeplechase over two-and-a-three-quarter miles in November. Originally a handicap when inaugurated in 1996, it became a conditions race in 2004 and achieved its current status five years later. Although it often only attracts a small field, this event has been won by the likes of War Of Attrition, Sir Des Champs, Champagne Fever and Presenting Percy.
Noel Meade landed it for the first time in 2025 with Affordale Fury. The €15,340 he picked up in prize money here was nothing compared to Savills Chase success next time out at Leopardstown races over the Christmas period. It just goes to show that the old Thurles Handicap Chase can be a piece of form to follow.
FAQs
Is Thurles races on today?
There are horse racing fixtures at Thurles from October until March. The majority of these meetings are for the National Hunt code with few Flat races at the track.
Why give free Thurles tips?
We can issue Thurles race tips for free, because AI systems source all the data and run it through algorithms. This keeps overheads down. We’ll see how the computer does, compared to a human tipster, over time.
Where is Thurles Racecourse?
The track is about 1.5km west of the town of Thurles in County Tipperary in the Republic of Ireland. It has the postal code E41 WK76.
Why was Thurles racing today cancelled?
If there’s a situation where we end up with Thurles races abandoned, then it is probably due to conditions at the course deteriorating. In February 2025, a meeting had to be cancelled because of a waterlogged track.
Where can I find Thurles racing results?
There are Thurles results today, alongside those from other racecourses in the Republic of Ireland and the UK on Racing Tipster. We provide a dedicated service, alongside the tips, so you can see which horses win. Click through the tips and racecard at the top of this page for all Thurles racing today results from the track.
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