There will be a distinct edge of anticipation in the January air at Fairyhouse Racecourse when racing returns on Wednesday, 14 January 2026 under the banner of Horse Racing Ireland. Headlining the card will be the Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Steeplechase, a valuable €100,000 Grade C contest that is expected to draw seasoned chasers and ambitious challengers alike.
The Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Steeplechase (Grade C) contest, scheduled as Race 4 at 14:15, will be run over 2m1f30yds and boast a striking €100,000 prize fund, instantly elevating the afternoon into must-watch territory. More than just a valuable handicap, the Dan & Joan Moore Memorial will stand as a tribute race and a searching mid-season test, one that is expected to draw proven chasers and ambitious contenders eager to make a statement on one of Ireland’s most respected stages.
The card will begin at 12:45 with Race 1, The Never Beaten By SP Hurdle. Run over 2 miles and offering €17,000 in total prize money, this opening contest will set the tempo for the day, with bettors and trainers alike drawn by the familiar Tote promise and a competitive hurdle lineup to warm the winter crowd.
At 13:15, attention will turn to Race 2, The Download The App Mares Maiden Hurdle. Staged over 2m2f55yds and worth €12,000, this race will provide a platform for emerging mares to step into the spotlight, many of them still learning their trade but rich with potential and promise.
Stamina will come to the fore in Race 3 at 13:45, The Always SP Or Better Handicap Hurdle. Contested over a testing 3 miles with €16,000 on offer, it will demand resilience and racecraft, and is expected to suit seasoned stayers who thrive when the emphasis shifts from speed to endurance.
The afternoon’s emotional and competitive peak will arrive with Race 4, the Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Steeplechase (Grade C). With its €100,000 purse and sharp 2m1f30yds trip, the race will likely be run at a relentless pace, rewarding bold jumping and tactical precision. As Fairyhouse has so often shown, big-money chases here rarely disappoint.
Following the feature, Race 5 at 14:50 will see novice chasers step forward in The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Steeplechase. Also run over 2m1f30yds, this €15,500 contest will offer an important educational test for horses beginning their careers over fences.
At 15:25, the emphasis will again switch to stamina with Race 6, The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Rated Novice Steeplechase. Covering 2m5f150yds and carrying €18,500 in prize money, it will challenge developing chasers to combine jumping fluency with staying power.
The curtain will fall at 16:00 with Race 7, The Watch Danny’s Diary Flat Race. Run over 2 miles and worth €10,000, this concluding bumper will showcase future prospects — raw, unexposed talent that could shape seasons to come.
As Fairyhouse readies itself for this midweek gathering, the sense of anticipation will be unmistakable. From maiden hurdlers to seasoned chasers, and from quiet beginnings to a six-figure feature, Wednesday, 14 January 2026 will offer a race day rich in narrative, tradition and sporting intrigue — exactly the kind of afternoon Irish racing does best.
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