Naas racecourse unveiled its new feature building yesterday, the principal phase of a €3.2 million development plan for the track.

Located minutes from the N7 the track always draws a strong attendance from the Kildare hinterland and also from Dublin racegoers.

There is novelty about the building as well, believed to be the first in Ireland or Britain to offer full panoramic views of the racecourse and the parade ring and winners enclosure.

The Circle has been designed by Turnburry Design Consultants and Hamilton Young Architects in London and built by Duggan Lynch builders.

They have played a key role in the build and fit out of the Smithwicks Experience in Kilkenny and the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin as well as a number of projects in and around horse racing.

The ground floor of the building, ‘The Circle Bar’ is a sports bar open to all racegoers and the owners and trainers lounge is located on the first floor, with 180-degree views of the track.

Naas racecourse has made a significant investment over the past number of years. The existing grandstand was built in 1997, while in 2003 a public bar and weigh room was constructed.

The stable yard was built from new in 2009 while last year saw the opening of a new self-service restaurant and the creation of a new office building and crèche, which will be operational during race days and non-race days and a welcome addition to families visiting the racecourse.

The racetrack has also seen considerable investment including most recently the levelling of the sprint track and the addition of a new watering system.

The next part of the redevelopment programme will include a refresh of the public areas in the main grandstand and the panoramic restaurant. That work will begin in the spring.

Naas racecourse also revealed a new brand identity yesterday, one which can be seen throughout the racecourse.

“We are very proud to showcase our new feature building today,” said General Manager Tom Ryan.

“Our aim was to erect a building which would help bring Naas Racecourse to the next level. The €3.2 redevelopment was part of the HRI Capital Development Scheme, I want to extend a huge thank you to HRI and all parties involved in the design and production of our innovative feature building.”

“We are delighted with the finished product and hope our customers enjoy the new Naas experience. We now look ahead to the second phase of the redevelopment which is due to commence in the spring,” added Naas Racecourse Chairman Dermot Cantillon.

“It is essential that we have top class facilities at our racecourses and I commend Tom Ryan and the team here at Naas for their continued work in establishing Naas as one of the premium racetracks in the country,” said Horse Racing Ireland Chairman Joe Keeling officially opening the new building.

“All over the country we have significant development work ongoing on our racecourses and I am proud of the impact made by Horse Racing Ireland’s Racecourse Capital Development Scheme, which is of course enabled by Government budgetary support.”

“Personally, I am extremely conscious and proud of the role that the Scheme is playing in improving racecourse facilities for owners, like those here in this wonderful new building at Naas.”

There are also major redevelopments taking place at Galway Racecourse and most evidently at The Curragh, the home of Irish Racing which is rising from the ground in a new build that will set a marker for racecourse facilities across the world.

Great to see that Ireland’s strength in terms of racing on the track and in the sales rings is being echoed in terms of the physical infrastructure of the sport.

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