Leopardstown Racecourse 53°15′57″N 6°11′21″W / 53.26583°N 6.18917°W is an Irish horse-racing venue, located in Leopardstown, Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, 8 kilometres (5 mi) south of Dublin city centre. Like the majority of Irish courses, it hosts both National Hunt and Flat racing.
The course, built by Captain George Quin and modelled on Sandown Park Racecourse in England, was completed in 1888 and acquired by the Horse Racing Board of Ireland in 1967. Many important races are held there; racing takes place all year round, with about 22 meetings per year.
In 1941, noted Royal Air Force pilot Hugh Verity, who flew many secret agents at night into and out of farm fields in France, force-landed on the racecourse. He was interned briefly before escaping back to England.[1]
The Leopardstown Hall of Fame honours famous Irish horse racing trainers, jockeys and horses, including Vincent O'Brien, Tom Dreaper, Pat Taaffe and Pat Eddery, Arkle, Dawn Run, Levmoss and Nijinsky.
- ^ T. Ryle Dwyer. Guests of the State: The Story of Allied & Axis Servicemen Interned in Ireland During World War II. Irish Books & Media. November 1 1994. Quoted in "War pilot escapee dies", The Independent, 2001