The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Racing Festival takes place this weekend with a special emphasis on the service of all frontline workers and in particular those who serve in the Defence Forces who share a location in the Curragh Camp with the racecourse on the 1,500 acre Curragh plains.
This will be the 156th running of Ireland’s most prestigious and valuable race which also doubles as a pilot sporting test event with 1,000 spectators present on the Saturday of the three-day racing festival.
There will be €2.3m in prizemoney over the weekend with Dubai Duty Free derby favourite High Definition one of the star attractions. The racing on Saturday will also be televised live on RTÉ and on ITV.
The Curragh Racecourse will be donating €10 from every €25 admission ticket to the Peter McVerry Trust who run seven shelters for the homeless in Co Kildare and 50 Members of the Defence Forces frontline staff will also be special guests of the historic venue.
A specially arranged Air Corps flyby will take place before the Dubai Duty Free Derby as a salute to all frontline workers to recognise their great service.
It is expected that Ireland’s flagship race will be viewed all around the World with viewers tuning in from as far away as Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, South Africa, the USA, all over Europe and even Mongolia.
Horse Racing Ireland and the Curragh Racecourse are among the 250+ members of the Sport for Business network of sporting and business organisations working together across a number of key areas.
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