Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes Set for Bank Holiday Monday Showdown at Naas
The countdown is on to one of the highlights of the Naas Racecourse flat season, with the €200,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes taking centre stage on Bank Holiday Monday, August 3rd.
Seventeen horses, representing fifteen different owners, stand their ground for one of Ireland's most valuable two-year-old contests. Now in its seventh renewal, the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes will have distributed over €2,000,000 in prizemoney after Monday’s renewal, and it continues to attract strong interest from both Ireland and the UK.
Sun Goddess heads the Aidan O’Brien team and this promising filly, bred locally by Owenstown Bloodstock, boasts some high-class form, including when landing the Airlie Stud Stakes (Group 2) in June at The Curragh. Before that success, she was just touched off at Royal Ascot, and on Monday she may have to take on a Royal Ascot winner in the shape of King Of Cloughan, who landed the Windsor Castle Stakes for the red-hot team of Joseph O’Brien. Last year’s winning trainer, Ger Lyons, has a duo to choose from with Livenka looking the pick at this stage on the back of a smart maiden win at Fairyhouse.
The Middleham Park Racing syndicate has two contenders in the shape of Hugo Palmer’s Weekend Roar and Archie Watson’s Alpe d’Huez. Weekend Roar comes here on the back of a smart novice success at Newmarket, and his trainer landed this valuable contest in 2023. Meanwhile, Alpe d’Huez bids to bounce back from a below-par effort at Royal Ascot last time out but had looked a promising sort in two previous outings.
Tom Palin, Middleham Park Racing, added: “We’re bringing Weekend Roar and Alpe d’Huez to the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes at Naas next Monday. It looks a hot contest, but we’re happy to take our chances with two promising 2-year-olds. Weekend Roar’s form at Newmarket looks good, and Hugo Palmer has won the Ballyhane before. If Alpe d’Huez reproduces his Epsom form, he’d have a chance too, and I know that Archie is very keen to win the race!”
Joe Foley, owner of Ballyhane Stud and Irish EBF Chairman, added: “Prize money has always been centre stage with this race, and we are proud to have reached a significant milestone with over €2 million in prize money distributed to connections since 2020. The quality of entries for the 2026 Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes once again highlights just how established this race has become in the racing programme and how connections continue to target the race both domestically and from the UK. Naas always puts on a fantastic show, and we're looking forward to an incredible day's racing."
Away from the track, racegoers can also look forward to the return of the popular Rugby Sweepstakes, following its successful debut last year. Everyone attending the meeting will have the opportunity to enter, with selected participants randomly allocated a runner in the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes. The winning sweepstakes ticket will receive two tickets to the 2026 Autumn Internationals – Ireland v South Africa at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, November 21st, together with an overnight stay in Dublin.
There will also be plenty of entertainment away from the racing, including the ever-popular Treo Eile "Meet the Racehorse" Experience, face painting, a racehorse simulator, and plenty of BBQ packages for racegoers to enjoy.
Early Bird admission tickets available at naasracecourse.com, with €5 off when purchased online before raceday.
