One of the most prestigious racing festivals of the summer in Ireland is set to take place this week. The Tramore August Festival has been a fixture on the Irish racing calendar for over 200 years, mixing high-quality action on track with the venue’s relaxed coastal atmosphere.
This year’s four-day meeting begins on Thursday, 13th August, with the feature race of the week set for Day Two in the form of the EY Steeplechase.
Festival Programme — Day by Day
Day 1 — Thursday 13th August (Evening)
Day One of the Tramore August Festival features a seven-race National Hunt card, with two competitive chases opening the evening’s action. Four of the remaining five races are run over hurdles, including the potentially informative Willis Towers Watson Rated Novice Hurdle (19:18).
Day 2 — Friday 14th August (Evening)
The feature race of the entire week is run on Day Two of the Tramore August Festival, with a competitive field set to contest the EY Steeplechase over two miles and five furlongs. A typical Friday-like party atmosphere will provide the backdrop, with live music and a DJ playing throughout the evening.
Day 3 — Saturday 15th August (Evening)
Visitors on Day Three of the Tramore August Festival will be encouraged to dress to impress, as the most fashionable day of the year at the track comes in the form of Style Evening. One of the most social events of the year, the evening will also feature a seven-race flat card, making it the only day of the meeting without any jumps action.
Day 4 — Sunday 16th August
The Tramore August Festival concludes with a seven-race National Hunt card and a relaxed afternoon of racing suitable for fans of all ages. A DJ will be keeping the feel-good mood intact, and the Marquee tent will be open all day.
Tramore Course Guide — What You Need to Know Before Betting
The Track Layout
Tramore is unlike any other course on the Irish calendar, with the tight right-handed corners and undulating circuit creating sharp and sweeping bends. It is also a stamina-sapping finish for horses, with the short home straight being a stiff uphill finish. This ensures that the track plays to the strengths of nimble horses and goes against long-striding gallopers.
Flat Racing/Jumps Racing
While the majority of the meeting consists of jumps races, there is also a busy card of flat action on the penultimate day. Unlike traditional flat races, all events at Tramore are standing starts, meaning there are no starting stalls. As a result, there is no track bias, but horses that are slow to break could have too much ground to make up. Over jumps, there are five fences per circuit, with the winners traditionally being those that jump the final two obstacles with the most efficiency.
Assess The Going
The going is essential reading before betting on the Tramore August Festival because of the course’s undulating terrain. Soft or heavy ground can make the track particularly demanding, potentially favouring horses with proven staying records on more testing surfaces.
Key Betting Markets at Tramore
- Each-Way Betting: With tight fields and a small track, there is always value in the betting for runners at bigger odds, ensuring that there is traditionally each-way betting value at Tramore.
- Previous Course Winners: Tramore is a specialist track, meaning horses with proven winning form at the track should be hugely respected. Therefore, it could be wise to side with previous course winners over those that are making their debuts at the track.
- Trainer Form: Certain yards have proven records at Tramore, including Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott, John Patrick Ryan, and Eoin Doyle. For flat races, Pat Flynn is historically one of the most successful trainers.
Best Bets For The Tramore August Festival
Tell Us This (Bar 1 Betting Rated Novice Steeplechase — Thursday 17:11)
As the only previous course winner in the field, Tell Us This could prove very hard to beat in the Bar 1 Betting Rated Novice Steeplechase on Thursday.
The Andrew McNamara-trained runner was excellent when holding off a big field to land honours at the Galway Festival last month, and he was an excellent 12-length winner on his final start for Gavin Cromwell at Tramore in late April. Bang in form, and previous course form makes him the one to beat.
Juke Hill (O’Neill’s Bar Beginners Chase — Thursday 17:46)
Gordon Elliott has a reliable record at the Tramore August Festival, making Juke Hill an interesting contender in the Beginners Chase on Thursday. The six-year-old ran with credit in point-to-points over three miles before showing some ability as a novice over hurdles when finishing second on debut.
He showed plenty of stamina on debut over fences at Wexford in June, staying on better than most to finish fourth. That trip was too sharp for him, and he should improve significantly now that he steps up to a more suitable two miles and six.
Dream On Baby (Conor Lannen Country Store Maiden — Thursday 20:18)
The final race on Thursday is a flat maiden, where Dream On Baby is of serious interest based on her previous efforts on the flat. She was an excellent third at Tramore in July (beaten by less than two lengths) before posting a mighty 124 RPR at Galway last time when having no luck in running.
She also has some high-quality form over obstacles, including finishing within six lengths of Cheltenham Festival winner Wodhooh (Leopardstown December 2025) and within two lengths of Feet Of A Dancer (Doncaster January 2026).
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