Ballinrobe
Flat
Rathcarreen, Ballinrobe, County Mayo · the county’s only racecourse, above Lough Carra
Turf
Right-Handed
Sharp
Evening Racing
Ballinrobe also stages National Hunt racing. Read the National Hunt racecourse guide →
What is Ballinrobe racecourse like?
Track Character
Ballinrobe’s Flat racing is evening racing: ten fixtures from April to September (HRI confirmed ten for 2025, adding a Friday Flat card — ignore older “nine meetings” copy), most starting after 4pm, in a natural amphitheatre above Lough Carra a mile outside the town. Mayo’s only course is community-run, twice named Racecourse of the Year — 2012 by the Irish Racegoers Consultative Forum, 2023 at the HRI Awards — and races on land that has hosted the sport since 1773 or 1774, on the present site since 1921.
The track is a sharp, right-handed oval of roughly a mile. The back straight climbs, the last two and a half furlongs run downhill, and the run-in is barely a furlong — a shape that hands the race to whoever owns the inside line into the final bend. Trips run from six furlongs (now rare here) through 1m1f and 1m4f up to two miles. A newer extension loop outside the back straight rides more galloping when the course elects to use it; the IHRB ground report names the configuration per meeting.
— Mick Kinane, former champion Irish Flat jockey — At The Races
Kinane’s reading matches the numbers almost line for line. “It really does pay to be prominent” is quantified below; “a low draw is a help too without being essential” is exactly where the sourced draw debate lands — a lean, not a law; and the home-turn slingshot is the mechanism behind both. His one Flat-specific dissent from the jumps view of this place: he doubted it breeds course specialists, where Charlie Swan thought the old track did over fences. Both are quoted verbatim on their own codes’ pages.
Course Facts
- Circuit Right-handed oval, ~8–9f round — sharp, with two tight turns off the back straight
- Profile Uphill back straight, downhill from 2½f out, run-in barely a furlong
- Trips 6f (rare now), 1m1f, 1m4f, 1m6f and 2m — middle distances and staying trips are the bread and butter
- Two loops The newer extension outside the back straight rides more galloping — the IHRB ground report names which loop each meeting uses
- Season Ten fixtures, April–September, nearly all evenings; two-day meetings in late May and July
Pace & the Market
- Front-runners 15.74% winners, Impact Value 1.85, 2009–2021 — profitable to back blind (+17.63 level stakes)
- Hold-up types Poor across all codes in the same sample — the shape gives nothing back late
- Favourites Market leaders show a level-stakes profit on the Flat here — 50% and 60% strike rates in 3yo and 4yo+ non-handicaps
- Caveat Windows on the favourite figures are loosely stated (“past few seasons”) — directionally clear, precision unverified
Ground & Access
- Drainage Well-draining; abandonments for waterlogging are rare, and summer watering is routine (“good, watering ongoing” is the house IHRB line)
- 2018 note One Flat card was abandoned for slipping in August 2018 — reviewed, ruled a one-off, racing uninterrupted since
- Where Rathcarreen, a mile from Ballinrobe on the N84 — Galway ~30 miles, above Lough Carra on the Wild Atlantic Way
- Scale 1,800-seat grandstand, free parking, relaxed country-meeting character
Do front-runners win at Ballinrobe?
Ballinrobe climbs up the back straight, runs downhill for home and then swings through a sharp final bend into a short run-in. Every part of that sequence favours the horse already there: the descent lets the pace build cheaply, the bend leaves anything wide nowhere to go, and the run-in is too short to retrieve what the turn has cost.
The result is a decisive advantage to front-running and prominent racing, and a real problem for horses ridden with restraint. Being held up at Ballinrobe is less a tactic than a bet on the leaders having gone too fast.
Run Style Bias — Qualitative Only
The descent builds a lead cheaply
Placed before the sharp final bend
The bend costs more than the run-in repays
Badly disadvantaged here
Treat these bars as directional — a reading of how the track rides rather than a statistical measurement. A short fixture list means a modest evidence base, though the direction is consistent.
Does the draw matter at Ballinrobe?
Strong bias — material handicapping factor
Moderate lean — worth noting
Broadly fair — not a primary factor
Ballinrobe’s draw is a genuine five-way disagreement, and this page reports it as one. One read calls the low-draw advantage “marginal” on PRB figures and notes the longer trips neutralise most of it. A second has low as a general advantage in the six-furlong races. A third says the opposite for exactly those races — middle to high draws do best in big 6f fields, if you break sharply — while noting such races are now rare. The handicap-only draw splits say flatly that no bias exists here and that 6f races are too few to measure. Two more echo the “low” camp without code or trip detail. Three positions, all evidenced: low, middle-to-high, none — and our call is that the six-furlong stall is unreadable, so ignore it. What nothing disputes is the pace picture — prominent racing wins at Ballinrobe — so the draw question is best treated as secondary to position off the gate.
Five reads, three positions: PRB figures calling the low edge “marginal”, a low lean at 6f, middle-to-high in big 6f fields (with a note that such races are now rare), the handicap-only splits finding no bias on small samples, and two more in the low camp without trip detail. Mick Kinane’s rider view — “a help too without being essential” — sits closest to the marginal read. A first-party stalls pull does sit behind this section: HRB data for Ballinrobe handicaps of eight or more runners since 2010, with the draw cut into thirds within each field size so every stall is judged against the number of chances it actually gets, and, where the sample allows, cross-checked against the value returned by each quarter of the draw.
Which trainers and jockeys win most at Ballinrobe?
| Trainer | Runs | Wins | Win% | Places | Place% | A/E | P/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 O’Brien, Joseph Patrick | 69 | 15 | 21.74% | 33 | 47.83% | 1.05 | -14.75 |
| 2 Harrington, Mrs John | 83 | 13 | 15.66% | 28 | 33.73% | 0.81 | -34.63 |
| 3 Weld, D K | 50 | 10 | 20.00% | 24 | 48.00% | 0.90 | -17.80 |
| 4 O’Brien, A P | 20 | 9 | 45.00% | 12 | 60.00% | 1.30 | +9.46 |
| 5 Twomey, P | 11 | 9 | 81.82% | 10 | 90.91% | 2.74 | +33.67 |
| 6 McGuinness, Adrian | 79 | 8 | 10.13% | 18 | 22.78% | 0.92 | -20.25 |
| 7 Mullins, W P | 16 | 7 | 43.75% | 12 | 75.00% | 1.34 | +7.64 |
| 8 Murphy, Joseph G | 42 | 6 | 14.29% | 21 | 50.00% | 0.80 | -22.24 |
| 9 Mulvany, Michael | 35 | 6 | 17.14% | 17 | 48.57% | 1.37 | +5.75 |
| 10 Condon, K J | 32 | 6 | 18.75% | 11 | 34.38% | 1.16 | +21.63 |
| 11 McConnell, John C | 50 | 5 | 10.00% | 13 | 26.00% | 1.05 | -27.00 |
| 12 Morgan, Ms Joanna | 27 | 5 | 18.52% | 8 | 29.63% | 1.25 | -6.00 |
| 13 Hogan, Denis Gerard | 56 | 4 | 7.14% | 16 | 28.57% | 0.58 | -24.17 |
| 14 Cromwell, Gavin Patrick | 38 | 4 | 10.53% | 13 | 34.21% | 0.71 | +3.50 |
| 15 Bolger, J S | 34 | 4 | 11.76% | 10 | 29.41% | 0.63 | -17.00 |
| 16 Rogers, H | 29 | 4 | 13.79% | 10 | 34.48% | 1.30 | +8.25 |
| 17 Fahey, Peter | 23 | 4 | 17.39% | 8 | 34.78% | 1.55 | +9.50 |
| 18 Flynn, Patrick J | 32 | 3 | 9.38% | 8 | 25.00% | 0.73 | -7.25 |
| 19 Lyons, G M | 21 | 3 | 14.29% | 10 | 47.62% | 0.69 | -6.75 |
| Jockey | Runs | Wins | Win% | Places | Place% | A/E | P/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Foley, Shane | 132 | 20 | 15.15% | 45 | 34.09% | 0.92 | -39.39 |
| 2 McMonagle, Dylan B | 34 | 14 | 41.18% | 24 | 70.59% | 1.75 | +18.23 |
| 3 Lee, W J | 102 | 12 | 11.76% | 29 | 28.43% | 0.90 | -4.24 |
| 4 Carroll, G F | 100 | 12 | 12.00% | 37 | 37.00% | 0.98 | -39.62 |
| 5 McDonogh, D P | 84 | 10 | 11.90% | 27 | 32.14% | 0.76 | +15.25 |
| 6 Hayes, C D | 128 | 9 | 7.03% | 37 | 28.91% | 0.61 | -55.67 |
| 7 Lordan, W M | 57 | 9 | 15.79% | 19 | 33.33% | 1.13 | -11.47 |
| 8 O’Donoghue, C | 33 | 8 | 24.24% | 12 | 36.36% | 1.58 | +22.10 |
| 9 Keane, C T | 98 | 7 | 7.14% | 39 | 39.80% | 0.36 | -76.87 |
| 10 O’Brien, J P | 32 | 7 | 21.88% | 14 | 43.75% | 1.02 | -6.22 |
| 11 Coen, Ben M | 62 | 6 | 9.68% | 22 | 35.48% | 0.69 | -16.62 |
| 12 O’Brien, Donnacha | 16 | 6 | 37.50% | 9 | 56.25% | 1.28 | +2.78 |
| 13 Whelan, R P | 71 | 5 | 7.04% | 18 | 25.35% | 0.68 | -39.50 |
| 14 Sheridan, J M | 43 | 5 | 11.63% | 16 | 37.21% | 0.85 | -7.25 |
| 15 Roche, L F | 56 | 4 | 7.14% | 10 | 17.86% | 0.88 | -14.00 |
| 16 McCullagh, N G | 43 | 4 | 9.30% | 8 | 18.60% | 0.98 | -11.25 |
| 17 Leonard, Killian | 37 | 4 | 10.81% | 10 | 27.03% | 1.20 | -14.62 |
Which sires do best at Ballinrobe?
A/E above 1.0 indicates market underestimation.
| Sire | Runs | Wins | Win% | Places | Place% | A/E | P/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Holy Roman Emperor (IRE) | 40 | 10 | 25.00% | 16 | 40.00% | 1.67 | +26.04 |
| 2 Galileo (IRE) | 28 | 8 | 28.57% | 16 | 57.14% | 1.05 | -13.00 |
| 3 Lawman (FR) | 24 | 6 | 25.00% | 11 | 45.83% | 1.70 | +11.00 |
| 4 Born To Sea (IRE) | 16 | 6 | 37.50% | 9 | 56.25% | 2.21 | +16.38 |
| 5 Ulysses (IRE) | 15 | 5 | 33.33% | 11 | 73.33% | 1.74 | +3.84 |
| 6 Camelot | 29 | 4 | 13.79% | 7 | 24.14% | 1.00 | -10.12 |
| 7 Montjeu (IRE) | 24 | 4 | 16.67% | 8 | 33.33% | 0.88 | -14.08 |
| 8 Jeremy (USA) | 21 | 4 | 19.05% | 8 | 38.10% | 1.79 | +16.00 |
| 9 Sea The Stars (IRE) | 19 | 4 | 21.05% | 9 | 47.37% | 1.02 | +0.10 |
| 10 Antonius Pius (USA) | 15 | 4 | 26.67% | 7 | 46.67% | 2.17 | +43.00 |
| 11 Verglas (IRE) | 15 | 4 | 26.67% | 8 | 53.33% | 1.98 | +17.13 |
| 12 Alamshar (IRE) | 5 | 4 | 80.00% | 4 | 80.00% | 2.45 | +7.25 |
| 13 Mastercraftsman (IRE) | 26 | 3 | 11.54% | 9 | 34.62% | 0.76 | -16.00 |
| 14 Teofilo (IRE) | 23 | 3 | 13.04% | 9 | 39.13% | 0.78 | -9.15 |
| 15 Oratorio (IRE) | 9 | 3 | 33.33% | 5 | 55.56% | 1.41 | +8.00 |
| 16 Echo Of Light | 8 | 3 | 37.50% | 4 | 50.00% | 1.79 | +1.67 |
| 17 Art Connoisseur (IRE) | 6 | 3 | 50.00% | 4 | 66.67% | 3.90 | +15.50 |
| 18 Australia | 21 | 2 | 9.52% | 7 | 33.33% | 0.64 | -13.75 |
| 19 Alhebayeb (IRE) | 18 | 2 | 11.11% | 4 | 22.22% | 1.44 | -6.17 |
| 20 Belardo (IRE) | 16 | 2 | 12.50% | 4 | 25.00% | 0.80 | +4.50 |
Betting Tips for Ballinrobe Flat Turf
Pace first, draw second
The one quantified edge at Ballinrobe is the front end: 15.74% front-runner winners, IV 1.85, profitable blind over 2009–21. The draw debate is three-way and unresolved. Filter every race by who goes forward before you look at stall numbers.
The favourite angle is real here
Market leaders show a level-stakes profit on the Flat at Ballinrobe, with 50% and 60% strike rates in the 3yo and 4yo+ non-handicaps. Small evening fields at a sharp track reward the obvious horse more often than the each-way puzzle.
Know which loop is racing
The extension outside the back straight rides more galloping than the tight old circuit — Kinane’s own caveat. The IHRB ground report names the configuration per meeting, and course form does not transfer cleanly between the two.
Inside into the home turn is the race
Kinane’s warning — challenge wide and you get “slung really wide” — is the course’s whole geometry in one line. Horses ridden handy on the inside line into the final bend win the battle that the run-in is too short to reverse.
Harrington is the constant
Every trainer dataset for this course — win tallies since 2009, five-season strike rates, profitability tables — features Jessica Harrington somewhere near the top, even though the exact numbers disagree. The stable’s runners at Ballinrobe always warrant a look; precise figures await the tables below.
Evening cards on watered ground
Summer evenings on well-draining land with routine watering mean the ground usually rides “good” or quicker than the morning word. Fast-ground pace types get their conditions here more often than the fixture list suggests.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Backing hold-up horses to swoop late. The tight final bend and short downhill run-in hand races to whoever grabs the inside — a closer needs the leaders to over-race, not just the better form.
- Backing a 6f draw bias as settled. One read has low, another middle-to-high in big fields, a third none at all — and those sprints are rare here now. Treat the stall as noise; from 1m1f it stops mattering.
- Assuming a Mayo track rides soft. Ballinrobe drains well and waters its summer evening cards to good ground, so the going reads quicker than the western reputation — mud form elsewhere is no guarantee here.
- Reading course form across the two loops as one thing. The tight old circuit and the galloping extension are different tests — check the IHRB ground report for which one the meeting is using.
- Letting a Paddy Twomey runner slip by unbacked. The yard’s Ballinrobe record is ruthless — nine winners from eleven runners, priced 8/15 up to 10/1, with Ruler Of France landing three of them — so respect the yard here even at a cramped price.
Ballinrobe (Flat) Racecourse FAQs
Is there a draw bias at Ballinrobe?
What kind of track is Ballinrobe on the Flat?
When does Ballinrobe race on the Flat?
Who does well at Ballinrobe on the Flat?
Where is Ballinrobe racecourse?
Nearby Tracks
Want the thinking behind Ballinrobe bets?
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