The 7-day Listowel Racing Festival was launched today (Mon 25th August) in the Guinness Storehouse in St. James Gate and will be celebrating its 150th Anniversary Festival Meeting this September (Sunday 14th to Saturday 20th September). The annual Harvest Racing Festival will see €1.3m prize money over the seven days.

Among the 175 guests at the launch included: - Champion NH jockey Ruby Walsh, Guests of honour Dermot Weld and the Mullins Family (Paddy, Willie, Tony and Tom). Top trainers Sheena and Tracy Collins, Arthur Moore, Michael Grassick, Frances Crowley and David Myerscough and top jockeys David Casey and Barry Geraghty. Also among the 160 guests were, Jimmy Deenihan - Listowel TD, Fionnan Nester from Failte Ireland, Jim Kavanagh CEO of the Trainers Association, HRI Board Member Noel Cloake. Frank Whelan - RTE TV Sport, Brendan O'Ruairc - TG4 presenter, Brenda and her father Brendan Daly the secretary and assistant secretary from Listowel Racecourse along with many of the festivals sponsors and committee members.

The highlight race of the week is sure to be the Guinness Kerry National, which carries a total prize fund of €160,000 which has been won by such great names as, The Gooser, Life of a Lord, Dorans Pride and more recently Montys Pass and last year was won by Ponmeoath for jockey Paddy Flood and Trainer Eric McNamara. This year 6-time Champion NH jockey Ruby Walsh will be out to prove he can match Pat Taaffe's five wins in this race (1950-60), by adding a fourth win to his tally in this race in the recent years (2004-2006).

The feature race on the opening day of Sunday 14th September is the Dawn Milk Handicap Steeplechase of €60,000, while the Listowel Races Supporters Club Sponsored Race, The Slan Abhaile, will bring the meeting to its conclusion on Saturday.

Gerald Lynch, Chairman of the Listowel Race Committee said: We are delighted to move our launch to Dublin for the first time for such an auspicious occasion and we are especially pleased to welcome our guests of honour, Willie, Tony, Paddy and Maureen Mullins and also of course Dermot Weld. As a thank you to our many loyal supporters down through the years, admission on the Monday will be half-price at €10, with admission on each subsequent day at €20�

Brendan Daly, Secretary of Listowel Races is all geared up for another successful meeting and expects large crowds again this year: The weather is a huge factor of course and if you get fine days, you will get the crowds. This year being our 150th Anniversary meeting, we hope to get the continued support that Listowel has enjoyed down through the years and we are confident that Listowel can go on to bigger and better things in the future. Remember in Listowel its serious fun and serious racing!

Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Horse Racing Ireland said: HRI are delighted to support the launch of such a prestigious race meeting, and the importance of Listowel from a tourism and industry perspective, as well as a racing one, should be stressed. The week long Festival attracts a huge influx of visitors to Co Kerry, creating massive revenues for the local economy. All are guaranteed a warm welcome at a racecourse where, thanks to the continued hard work of the Listowel management and racecourse committee, significant improvements have been made to facilities in recent years with grant aid support from HRI. Racing in Listowel has a proud history stretching back to 1858 but perhaps more importantly, it can look forward with confidence to a yet more successful future bringing quality racing to the region. Here's to the next 150 years!

One of the highlights of the week on the social side is Ladies Day which is on Friday, 19th, sponsored once again by Mary Flaherty of Chic Boutique, Listowel and judging the event this year is Horse Racing Ireland's Fashion Ambassador and TV3 XposÉ presenter Karen Koster and supported by Jacobs Creek Sparkling Rosé.

There are a number of special events and giveaways during the week to mark the special anniversary, including a Free Draw in the Racecard each day for €1,500 Holiday Vouchers and a Free Cash Prize Draw and Tote Ireland are giving away a Free Honda Civic, which is guaranteed to be won at the end of the seven days.