There’s no event on Ireland’s flat racing calendar quite like the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby; the thrill, the elegance, the roar of the crowd as champions storm down the track. If you’re lucky enough to be in Ireland for the Irish Derby this year, don’t just turn up for the race, lean into the whole experience.
This year, visitors are invited to do more than attend the Derby. You're invited to step behind the scenes, into a world shaped by generations of horsemanship and hospitality with Horse Country where the days before the Derby are filled with intimate, exclusive and one-of-a-kind experiences you won’t find anywhere else.
Explore The Other Side of Ireland
Don’t rush into it. Arrive a few days before and let the anticipation build. There's something delicious about feeling the buzz in the air before a big event. Take a moment and explore the calm The Land of Horse, tucked in Ireland’s storied Golden Vale lies Tipperary, a place where history isn’t something you read about, it’s something you ride through.
Here, you can settle into the rhythm of rural life through gentle, immersive experiences like Scones & Saddles, where the morning begins with a guided tour of the iconic Rock of Cashel, one of Ireland’s most breathtaking landmarks. Afterwards, choose between a long, lazy lunch at Mikey Ryan’s, a beloved spot in Cashel town, or an indulgent afternoon tea at the elegant Cashel Palace Hotel. The journey continues in Fethard, where the Horse Country Museum deepens the story, bringing Ireland’s rural and racing past into focus.
Or take a cultural turn with Fethard Folklore & Food, a journey that begins at the Fethard Horse Country Museum, where Ireland’s deep connection with the horse comes to life through vivid exhibits. From there, it’s out into the medieval streets of this beautifully preserved walled town, a place shaped by centuries of equine history and racing bloodlines. Round it off with a hearty two-course lunch at Sadler’s, a local gem where tradition meets comfort in every bite.
These aren't tours, they’re introductions to the kind of Ireland that doesn’t rush, doesn’t posture, and never forgets its connection to the horse.
Exclusive Behind the Scenes Encounters Before the Festival Begins
Before the grandstands fill and the Curragh roars to life, a handful of carefully curated experiences offer a privileged peek into the world behind the winners. These are intimate, insider moments designed for Derby Week alone offering rare access to the stories, people, and places that define Ireland’s racing tradition.
Derby Dreams: Breakfast with the Stars is an energising morning experience at The Curragh where racing’s legends come together over breakfast to share their insights, predictions, and tales from the turf. With VIP seating and open-floor conversation, you will have the rare chance to pose those long-held questions to the jockeys, trainers, and people who live and breathe the sport. It’s warm, personal, and pulsing with pre-Derby anticipation.
If you’re after something truly atmospheric, there’s Dawn Gallop is a soul-stirring early morning outing across The Curragh’s legendary training grounds. Led by none other than John Oxx, the masterful trainer of Sea The Stars and Sinndar, this is a walk-and-watch experience like no other. Quiet fog, rhythmic hoofbeats, and John’s soft-spoken expertise come together in a way that leaves an imprint. The morning wraps with breakfast at Orby’s Restaurant, filled with warmth and conversation among fellow racing lovers.
And then, for a true highlight of the week, the JP Murtagh Racing VIP Experience. This is not a tour, it’s a rare invitation. With just eight guests per visit, it’s a chance to join a five-time Irish Champion Jockey and the force behind some of racing’s greatest stories Johnny Murtagh at his Fox Covert Stables. You not only will be able to ride around The Curragh Plains in a Jeep, meet the team, but also be able to sit down for breakfast with Johnny himself and enjoy homemade light lunch made by his wife Orla. Between laughter, honest insights, and a few well-earned secrets, it’s one of those rare encounters that leaves you feeling like part of the inner circle.
Between Races Discover Kildare’s Living Legends
Once race weekend begins, it’s easy to be swept up in the energy but even then, there are quieter corners of Horse Country waiting to be explored.
The Irish National Stud & Gardens offers a sanctuary of calm just minutes from the Curragh. Here, visitors can walk among world-famous stallions, admire the tranquility of the Japanese Gardens, St. Fiachra’s Garden, and visit the Living Legends like Hurricane Fly, Faugheen, Beef or Salmon, and Sizing John who now spend their days in peace and admiration.
Just nearby lies Kildangan Stud, the Irish headquarters of Godolphin, the global racing empire owned by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Get the exclusive access to some of the world's top Thoroughbred stallions. Walk through immaculately maintained paddocks, home to elite broodmares and promising foals, and witness the meticulous attention to detail that defines every aspect of life at Kildangan. See a selection of stallions and newborn foals (season dependent), as well as its state-of-the-art horse facilities and private museum. It’s more than a tour, it’s a study in excellence, delivered with warmth and insight.
And then, of course, comes the main event 'The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby', a true celebration of all that has come before. But this year, for those who’ve travelled deeper, it’s something more.
Because when you’ve shared stories with the people behind the scenes, when you’ve stood at the rail as young horses fly by in the dawn light, when you’ve walked historic towns and talked with living legends, the Derby doesn’t just look different. It feels different. It means more.
Horse Country’s Derby Week itinerary is about more than filling days before the races, it’s about offering visitors a way to truly connect with Ireland’s most passionate and storied industry. These experiences are intimate, exclusive, and thoughtfully paced, allowing travellers to soak up the atmosphere, meet the people at the heart of the sport, and discover the kind of Ireland that lives far beyond guidebooks.
Whether you’re a seasoned racing enthusiast or simply curious about Ireland, this is an invitation to see it from the inside.
Explore the full Derby Week journey here:
👉 View Itinerary
