Listowel – A Guide To Irish Flat Racecourses

Listowel Racecourse

Listowel Racecourse is a flat, sharp left handed track. There is around a two furlong run in from the final bend to the winning post and for races over seven furlongs to a mile there is an extension chute attached to the course where the starting point is for races over that distance.

The circuit is rectangular in shape and is just over an extended mile in circumference and there is also an outer circuit of around nine and a quarter furlongs in length. It is a dual purpose venue hosting both Flat and Jump racing.

There is only one pattern race (Listed race) per flat season at the course which is run in September. The race is known as the Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes which is run over nine furlongs and is open to three years old and older horses. However, it is a track that is more associated with jump racing with the Kerry National being its main feature event that takes place during the Harvest Festival.

Despite the track being a sharp left handed track, there doesn’t appear to be a draw bias favouring low gated horses. The results indicate it is a fair track in this regard to races up to seven furlongs whilst there is some small advantage to those drawn low in races over a mile but no further.

With no long run in and being a fairly short circuit by general standards has shown that horses with short but quick strides plus a smaller constitution tend to do well round here in relation to the relentless galloper type of horse who can find the situation happening a bit all too quick for ones liking.

There aren’t too many trainers worth following at the track but if there was one nomination I had to make then Dermot Weld would top the list of a bunch of moderate records for most flat trainers at this venue. His record is further below for your information.

Please note: Profit and Loss figures (P/L) is based on level stakes betting of one Euro per bet to SP.

Trainer: D Weld

Course: Listowel

Race Type: 2yo Non-Handicap races

Bets: 40 Wins: 12 Strike Rate: 30.00% P/L+22.06

Additional notes; I would suggest backing his juveniles from July onwards to improve profitability and it should be noted most of his winners came in the month of September.