Earliest meeting: Thursday 17th April 1879
Final meeting: April 1885
The County Westmeath townland of Ballard is located 3 miles north west of Mullingar and in the latter part of the 19th century it hosted Kilbeggan races for a 7 year period. The inaugural meeting at the new course was held on Thursday 17th April 1879 when the course proved controversial due to its tricky fences. Improvements were made in 1881 for the meeting held on Thursday 28th April. The nasty bank with a hollow dip had proved difficult and dangerous the year before and was left out, with 2 easier fences substituted. The opening Farmers’ race over 2 ½ miles was won by Little Agnes for Mr J Cole, beating Midge. However, the feature race was the Kilbeggan Challenge Cup which went to Will o’ the Wisp despite the persistent challenge of Captain Butson’s Silverstream. Meetings continued at this course for a further 4 years before racing in Kilbeggan lapsed for 19 years, returning in September 1901 at Loughnagore. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 4 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Captain Butson, Major Grant |
| Principal Races |
Kilbeggan Challenge Cup |
Thusday 28th April 1881
Kilbeggan Challenge Cup over 2 ½ miles
1. Will o’ the Wisp, 6 year old owned by Mr C Coffey
2. Silverstream, 6 year old owned by Captain Butson
3. The Goat, aged horse owned by Major Grant |
| The final meeting took place in April 1885. |
| Course today |
A challenging 2 ½ mile course in the townland of Ballard. |
| 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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