October Bank Holiday Racing at Wexford Racecourse

What to Expect

Wexford Racecourse stages its two day October Bank Holiday meeting on Sunday 25 and Monday 26 October 2026, the last fixtures of the racecourse’s 2026 calendar and the biggest weekend of its year. The headline race is the M.W. Hickey Memorial Chase, a Grade 3 steeplechase run over close to three miles for intermediate chasers, and the only black type race staged at Wexford. It has drawn serious yards over the years, with Henry de Bromhead’s subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Minella Indo among the past winners, so the two days regularly bring leading National Hunt trainers and jockeys to the Newtown Road.

Wexford is unusual among Irish jumps tracks in running its fixtures between spring and October rather than through the winter, which is why the season finishes here on the bank holiday rather than starting. Racing has been recorded on the Bettyville site since the 1870s. The circuit was rebuilt from right handed to left handed in 2015, and the course dropped flat racing the following year to concentrate entirely on jumps. It is a compact, tight track that suits handy, nimble horses rather than long striding galloppers, which tends to make for close finishes. Facilities include the parade ring, bars and food outlets, with the two card days running through the afternoon.

Good to Know

• Sunday 25 and Monday 26 October 2026, over the October Bank Holiday weekend
• Venue: Wexford Racecourse, Bettyville, Newtown Road, Wexford
• Feature race: the Grade 3 M.W. Hickey Memorial Chase over almost three miles
• First race times and admission prices are published closer to the meeting. Check wexfordraces.ie or phone the racecourse office on 087 382 8099
• These are the final two fixtures of Wexford’s 2026 racing season
• Dress is informal. Ground conditions in late October can be soft, so sensible footwear helps

Getting There

The racecourse is on the Newtown Road on the western edge of Wexford town, signposted from the N25 and about a 20 minute walk or five minute drive from the Bull Ring in the town centre. There is parking on site for racegoers. Wexford O’Hanrahan station on the Dublin to Rosslare Europort line and the town centre bus stops are both close enough to walk or take a short taxi from.