THE Leopardstown team was thrilled with the overall attendance figures for the 2024 Dublin Racing Festival, with a crowd of over 20,000 on the Saturday and 16,003 at Leopardstown for the Sunday. It made a total attendance of 36,020 for the weekend and a growth of 4% from 2023.

Speaking after the weekend, Tim Husbands, CEO of Leopardstown, said: “First of all, a massive ‘thank you’ must go to our equine stars, the jockeys, owners, trainers, stable staff, our sponsors and partners and of course the racegoers for making this year’s Dublin Racing Festival a standout weekend for all. Dublin Racing Festival is an incredibly special weekend, and this year we were delighted to grow the festival by 4% across the two days. It is our goal to enhance the customer experience at the festival, and to create a greater awareness of the festival to new markets each year.

An exhilarating weekend of sport for all, we were thrilled to welcome such a large contingent of racegoers from the UK, up 10% from last year. The team at Leopardstown look forward to welcoming everyone back to Dublin Racing Festival again in 2025.”

On the track, the eight Grade 1s going to the Willie Mullins yard made the headlines. On the breeding tables, it was a French 7-1, almost a whitewash with only Ballyburn, by the recently deceased Flemensfirth, notching one for the Irish-breds. The two Grade 2 bumper winners, Jeroboam Machin and Fleur Au Fusil were also French-bred.

On a positive side, three of the sires, Feel Like Dancing (Dancing City), Jeu Et Eloi (Kargese) and Jukebox Jury (Il Etait Temps) are now standing here.

And Authorized, sire of Brucio, winner of the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle is also now standing in Ireland.