Listowel Races ready for off, two days late

IT’S full steam ahead next week for one of the country’s oldest harvest racing festivals, despite the weather being a spoilsport yet again.

The first two days of the seven-day Listowel Races, Sunday and Monday next, have been cancelled due to the effects of heavy rain on the track.

“We’re obviously disappointed about losing the first two days’ racing, but the core festival is going ahead from Tuesday to Saturday,” said Máire Logue of Listowel Chamber of Commerce last night. Second only to Galway Races in the National Hunt scene, Listowel is this year celebrating its 150th anniversary, and is worth an estimated €9 million to north Kerry.