Festival to bring welcome financial boost to Mallow

WITH just over a week to go to arguably the most exciting event on the annual Mallow social calendar excitement is growing around the town as it prepares to host the ninth annual Racing Home for Easter festival.

One of the firsts signs that summer is just around the corner, the festival attracts thousands of people to Mallow each year to enjoy three days of top-class racing and a full festival programme of events at locations across the town.

The large crowds bring a welcome boost to the local economy with local pubs, which will be hosting evening music sessions, set to benefit on the first festival night in particular thanks to the recent relaxation of Good Friday opening restrictions.

In fact, a recent economic impact study undertaken by UCC underscored just how important the festival is to the local economy.

It showed that in addition to drawing people from the wider Cork region, the festival also attracts people from the UK, Germany, Hungary and North America to Mallow, pumping more than €750,000 into the local economy over the Easter weekend.

While a full-programme of events is planned for the town, as the festivals name would suggest there will be plenty of thrilling action taking place at the Cork Racecourse with some of the country’s top runners and rider taking to the track.

Easter Saturday will see a full seven race flat card and prize money of €90,000 up for grabs, with the first race going to post at 2pm. The feature race of the day will be the ultra-competitive ‘ Cork Handicap’ over one mile and two furlongs.

Racing will return at 2pm on Easter Sunday, with a packed programme at the Cork Racecourse including an eight-race National Hunt card worth a total of €140,000 in prize money. The feature races will be the Grade 3 Imperial Call Chase over three miles and the Grade C Easter Handicap Hurdle over two miles and three furlongs, with a cool €30,000 up for grabs in the latter.

The busiest day of the meet, Easter Sunday, will also see live music, children’s entertainment and the return of the ‘Most Stylish Sunday’ competition sponsored by Cork Airport & International Hotel and Barry’s Menswear, Mallow.

This year’s competition will be judged by Irish actress and style queen Aoibhín Garrihy.

Day three are the track will feature an eight race card of mixed flat racing hunter and point-to-point with the Cork Stakes, a listed race over six furlongs worth €45,000 getting the action underway at 1.50pm.

For more details of the ontrack action and admission prices visit www.racinghomeforeaster.com.