Thurles racecourse closes: Ireland's only privately-owned track shuts its doors as Molony family move on
Co-owner Riona Molony said other family commitments and 'increasing industry demands and the cost of doing business' were the driving factors behind the decision to close; track will not host scheduled fixtures in the 2025/26 season
Friday 1 August 2025 17:22, UK
Thurles, Ireland's only privately-owned racecourse, has closed with immediate effect.
Owned by the Molony family since the early 1900s, Thurles has been a mainstay of the Irish jumps racing calendar.
Riona Molony officially announced the family's decision to retire from racing at the Tipperary track on Friday, pointing to other family commitments, as well as "increasing industry demands and the cost of doing business".
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She said in a statement: "It has been an honour and a privilege for our family to have run Thurles Racecourse, and I am officially announcing our retirement today.
"We are very proud of the immense contribution our family has made to racing and we are most grateful to our extended racecourse family, our dedicated staff, generous sponsors, loyal patrons and the wider racing community for all your support.
"Horse racing is part of the fabric of our family, and we have been very fortunate to have made so many great friends within the industry over the years. My family and I look forward to going racing with you again, as spectators."
She continued, "Since my beloved husband Pierce passed away in 2015, with the help of our four daughters Patricia, Helen, Ann Marie and Kate and our wonderful staff, we've managed to keep the show on the road and I know he would be very proud of us for that.
"The girls all have their own families, careers and lives to live. Ever increasing industry demands and the cost of doing business has also been a major factor."
Mullins: Thurles closure 'a huge blow' for Irish racing
Champion trainer Willie Mullins has described the shock closure as a "huge blow for Irish racing".
Mullins has saddled more than 250 winners at the County Tipperary circuit, where the first recorded race meeting took place in 1732.
He said: "It was a major shock this morning to hear the news. It will be a huge blow for Irish racing, more specifically Irish jump racing and winter jump racing.
"Thurles is a track that always had beautiful ground in the winter when other tracks couldn't.
"It's the last family-run track in Ireland, I believe. Pierce Molony ran it for years, his father ran it before him and Riona and family have run it since Pierce died and they've been fantastic for the Irish jump fraternity over the years.
"I think we'll be doing our best to see if there's any way we can save the track for racing in Ireland.
"It will need a lot of local support. However, on the bigger scale, Irish winter jump racing needs it too I think."
HRI left in the dark by track's decision
Irish racing's governing body Horse Racing Ireland says it will be seeking a meeting with the Molony family to discuss their position.
Suzanne Eade, HRI's chief executive, said in a statement: "Thurles Racecourse has been a cornerstone of the National Hunt programme in Ireland during the winter months, and today's news was a surprise to everyone in the industry.
"I am sure this announcement was a hugely difficult one for Riona Molony, and her daughters Patricia, Helen, Ann Marie and Kate, and I respect their decision to take a step back from running racing at Thurles.
"Riona's husband Pierce contributed significantly to the Irish racing industry for many years and the Molony family, led by Riona, certainly stepped up following his untimely passing."
