This guide to Fairyhouse racecourse covers the main meetings, how to get there and what to check before you bet. Fairyhouse is in the parish of Ratoath, Co. Meath, 23 km from Dublin city centre. Horse Racing Ireland describes it as a wide, galloping, square, right-handed course, a mile and three quarters round, with a three-furlong home straight that is slightly uphill.
- Fairyhouse in Ratoath, Co. Meath, hosts the Irish Grand National every Easter Monday.
- Festivals: a three-day Easter Festival and a Winter Festival at the start of December.
- The track is a wide, galloping, right-handed course with a three-furlong home straight that is slightly uphill.
What is racing like at Fairyhouse?
That stiff finish tends to reward stamina, which suits its biggest race, the Irish Grand National.
Main meetings and races at Fairyhouse
- Irish Grand National: Every Easter Monday. HRI describes it as the richest chase on the Irish racing calendar.
- Easter Festival: Three days of jump racing over the Easter bank holiday weekend.
- Winter Festival: The start of December, with many graded races.
The Easter Festival falls just after the Cheltenham Festival and just before the Grand National at Aintree, so runners often appear in all three. Our Grand National betting guide and Punchestown Festival guide cover the neighbouring big meetings.
How do you get to Fairyhouse?
Fairyhouse is just off the M3 or the N2 via Ratoath, 23 km from Dublin city centre and 19 km from Dublin Airport. Bus 105 stops outside the racecourse.
The nearest rail station is M3 Parkway, reached by train from Dublin Connolly, and a complimentary shuttle runs from M3 Parkway for the Winter and Easter Festivals.
How do you bet at Fairyhouse?
The Irish Grand National is a big-field handicap chase, so prices are longer and each-way terms matter. Bookmakers often offer extra places in big handicaps, but they vary by operator, so compare before you bet. See our each-way guide.
If you are building a multiple across the Easter card, our accumulator calculator shows how quickly the odds multiply, and how rarely every leg wins.
What should you check before betting at Fairyhouse?
- The going, which can be soft or heavy in winter and spring.
- The weights in handicaps, and whether the horse has run over the trip before.
- Non-runner rules, because big handicaps often lose runners before the day.
Our guide to assessing a race goes through the racecard, the going and the odds step by step, and the horse racing betting guide explains terms such as each-way, Rule 4 and non-runners.
Related guides
- Horse racing in Ireland: courses and festivals
- Horse racing tips: how to assess a race
- Horse racing betting guide for Irish punters
- Grand National betting guide
- Navan Racecourse guide
- Leopardstown guide
- The Curragh guide
- Punchestown guide
- Galway Racecourse guide
- Listowel Racecourse guide
- Dundalk Stadium guide
- Down Royal guide
- Best odds guaranteed and each-way explained
- Each way calculator
- Betting sites in Ireland
Frequently asked questions
When is the Irish Grand National?
Every Easter Monday at Fairyhouse.
Where is Fairyhouse racecourse?
In Ratoath, Co. Meath, 23 km from Dublin city centre, just off the M3 or N2.
Is Fairyhouse left or right-handed?
Right-handed, a mile and three quarters round, with a three-furlong home straight.
When is the Fairyhouse Winter Festival?
At the start of December, with many graded races.
Sources and further reading
- Horse Racing Ireland: Fairyhouse – official course information
- Horse Racing Ireland – the governing authority for the racing industry in Ireland, with fixtures and course information
- GamblingCare.ie – free, confidential gambling support in Ireland
18+. Please play responsibly, gamblingcare.ie. This guide is independent editorial opinion; it is not a guarantee, endorsement or financial advice, and does not imply any affiliate or commercial relationship with any operator named.
Last updated 27 October 2026. Written and checked by the Punter Ireland editorial team. Offers, odds and rules change, so always check the operator’s own terms and the official sources above.
