Horse racing is one of the most popular spectator sports in the entirety of Ireland, with more than 1.3 million attendees every year, and not uncommonly amassing crowds that usually exceed the 100,000 mark.

Furthermore, horse racing is deeply engrained in Irish culture, so much so that some of the best thoroughbreds that grace the tracks are bred and trained in Ireland; in fact, Irish thoroughbreds regularly emerge victorious on English racecourses.