Sligo Racecourse

Scenic right-handed bowl in Ireland's north-west

Sligo Racecourse sits at Cleveragh, in a natural bowl roughly a kilometre south-east of Sligo town in Ireland's north-west. A small dual-purpose track, it stages both Flat and National Hunt racing, traditionally over the summer months and often under evening lights. Racing in the area dates back to 1781, but the present course at Cleveragh held its first meeting on 24 August 1955. The track is right-handed and sharp, with a circuit of a little over a mile, noticeable undulations and a slightly uphill run-in of just under two furlongs; its low-lying setting means the ground can ride heavy. The course is widely regarded as one of the most scenic in the country. Its busiest fixture is the two-day meeting in early August, when the Guinness Sligo Handicap Hurdle is a feature race.