Earliest meeting: Tuesday 3rd February 1874
Final meeting: Tuesday 23rd February 1892
At one stage the County Laois town of Attanagh was quite isolated, but on 1st March 1865 it opened its own railway station on the Waterford and Central Ireland line and took advantage of the new opportunities this provided. A racecourse was developed in the fields next to the station and the inaugural meeting, with the grand title of Attanagh Queen’s Course, was held on Tuesday 3rd February 1874. The opening race, the Tallyho Steeplechase Plate, was won by Miss Fortitude who defeated Wee Ben and Waterwitch. Meetings continued annually and were viewed as the launch of the new Steeplechase season each year until the final record of a meeting on Tuesday 23rd February 1892. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 4 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Captain Fisher, Captain Richardson |
| Principal Races |
Attanagh Plate, Durrow Plate, Tallyho Steeplechase |
Tuesday 3rd February 1874
Tallyho Steeplechase Plate over 2 miles
1. Miss Fortitude, 6 year old owned by Mr T Carroll
2. Wee Ben, 4 year old owned by Mr P Moore
3. Waterwitch, 5 year old owned by Mr W Moore |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 23rd February 1892. |
| Course today |
In the fields adjacent to Attanagh Railway Station. |
| If you have photos, postcards, racecards. badges, newspaper cuttings or book references about the old course, or can provide a photo of how the ground on which the old racecourse stood looks today, then email johnwslusar@gmail.com |
Much of the information about this course has been found using internet research and is in the public domain. However, useful research sources have been:-
London Illustrated News
Racing Illustrated 1895-1899
The Sporting & Dramatic Illustrated
Northern Turf History Volumes 1-4 by J.Fairfax-Blakeborough
The Sporting Magazine
A Long Time Gone by Chris Pitt first published in 1996 ISBN 0 900599 89 8
Racing Calendars which were first published in 1727 |
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ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3
652 pages
774 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0
352 pages
400 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7
180 pages
140 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4
264 pages
235 former courses |
| Copies of the above books are only available by emailing johnwslusar@gmail.com stating your requirements, method of payment (cheque payable to W.Slusar) or Bank transfer, and the address where the book(s) should be sent. |
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