Midlands National of €100,000 is highlight of Kilbeggan's racing year
Evening meeting tomorrow, Friday, July 8, at 5.20pm
One hundred years ago in 1918 a paper stated, “as if by magic immunity from the artificiality of modern times, the Kilbeggan meeting has preserved to this day, all the tenures of the old-fashioned Irish race meeting –with its picturesqueness, its light heartedness, its sociability amongst the people mingling on the course”.
Christy Doherty, AXA Head of Agriculture and Paddy Dunican, Managing Director of Kilbeggan pictured with Champion National Hunt Trainer Willie Mullins and Agusta Gold ahead of the €100,000 AXA Farm Insurance Midlands National at Kilbeggan Racecourse on Friday July 8, the first graded race to be hosted at the County Westmeath Racecourse.
It will be the first time for Kilbeggan to stage a Graded race, which together with the 25% increase in prize money, will help to further attract better quality horses and create more competitive and exciting racing.
MIDLANDS NATIONAL OF €100,000 AT KILBEGGAN
Kilbeggan Races dates back to 1840 and since then many great horses have raced on the track from Gold Cup winner Koko to dual Aintree Grand National winner Tiger Roll. Perhaps this might be the year of another future champion in the Midland’s National.
Paddy Dunican, Managing Director of Kilbeggan Races, said: “We are delighted that the AXA Farm Insurance Midlands National race has been upgraded to a Grade B race. With the support of our sponsor AXA Farm Insurance and Horse Racing Ireland, the prize money has increased from €75,000 to €100,000. We are excited to see some top-quality runners due to the improved status and increased prize money on offer. The aim has always been to have a graded race at Kilbeggan, so it’s great to see our vision come to fruition on Friday July 8.”
Christy Doherty, AXA Head of Agriculture, commented: “AXA Farm Insurance are delighted to continue our sponsorship of the Midlands National for the fourth year. The Midlands National is a very important event for our business as it provides us with the opportunity to engage with our customers at our local racecourse on their biggest race meeting of their season.”
Lauren Gavigan AXA Insurance advisor, Edel Mullane AXA Insurance advisor and Claire Boyce AXA Insurance advisor pictured with Champion National Hunt Trainer Willie Mullins and Agusta Gold ahead of the €100,000 AXA Farm Insurance Midlands National at Kilbeggan Racecourse on Friday, July , at 5.20pm.
In addition, Writech Group of Mullingar are sponsoring a new feature handicap hurdle of €25,000 to further support the meeting and attract better quality horses. Writech based in Mullingar is leading the industry worldwide in developing cutting edge technology to design and manufacture fire protection systems for many of the biggest global technology companies in the world. Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey are sponsoring a hurdle race and there is a strong historic association of the Locke family being involved locally in Kilbeggan Races back to 1840. The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase at the meeting often produces useful chaser for the future.
Alan Wright said: “The Writech Group are delighted to support Kilbeggan Race Course on Midlands National Day. We are also looking forward in welcoming some of our esteemed clients to the event which shall be a very enjoyable occasion not to mention demonstrating the uniqueness of the Midlands Region. We would like to thank Paddy Dunican & his Team for the professionalism they have shown in assisting us on our Corporate Day in 2022”.
The Midland’s National race meeting is the highlight of our racing year and the event has been described in many quarters as the social event of the year in the Midlands. Kilbeggan is all about the joy of the moment, whether it is a horse winning, a crowd cheering, friends laughing, families meeting, fashion dazzling, glasses clinking, music pleasing, or bookies paying.
Willie Mullins has raced some very useful horses at Kilbeggan over the years and as his father the great Paddy Mullins stated in 1993 “There is a great buzz to it, unlike some of the deadly meetings we have to attend during the year”. There are seven races on the card and it all kicks off at 5.20pm on Friday 8th July.