Courses
Loughanmore
Track info
County: Antrim |
Soil Type: |
Fences per circuit: 5 |
Fences per 3 mile race: 14 |
Direction: Left-Handed |
Course Distance: 1.19m |
Elevation Change (Highest to Lowest Point): |
TRACK GUIDE
Located on the lands of Wilson Dennison, a leading point-to-point owner and supporter in the northern region, Loughanmore is one of the larger courses in the country, with a circuit of the course running at over nine furlongs.
Like Stradbally, racing at the course can be run with two distinct finishing locations, albeit following the same course layout. Typically, the autumn fixture finishes in the straight alongside the road, with the spring fixtures finishing directly across from that at the back of the field.
For the more common spring course, races begin in a starting chute at the entrance to the back straight with a short run to fence one. After making their way over the main entrance crossing, the field jump fences two and three before taking the long left-handed bend into the home straight. Fence four, which also acts as the final fence, is the only fence jumped on the last circuit, before the field make their way up quite a narrow home straight and an extended run-in. Fence five is located at the end of the home straight before the field turn left once again, around a more gentle and easier bend to negotiate to pass their point of departure.
Its reputation as one of the premier tracks in the country, ensures that is has a particularly strong recent roll of honour, with the four-year-old maiden that is run at their Easter fixture really standing up to the test of time.
The 2014 winner was 160-rated hurdler Different Gravey, the 2015 race produced Cheltenham Champion Bumper-second Battleford, whilst in 2016 Claimantakinforgan, a 151-rated Grade 2 winner came out on top.
MARK O'HARE
Loughanmore is a very simple track to ride and you can do your own thing.
You can drop in or ride handy, race on the inside or the outside, and it doesnt massively inconvenience you.
You do though need a very honest horse there as it is a stiff 3 miles. There are no hiding place the way races tend to be run and there are no tight bends to get a breather into your horse, so you are rolling along the whole way, but it usually produces some nice young stock.