Earliest meeting: Monday 11th August 1755
Final meeting: Thursday 14th August 1755
The Irish racecourse at the town of Baltinglass, on the River Slaney, was in the south west of County Wicklow and entertained a town with a population of just over 2,000. In the mid-1700s it held its own race meetings, the first of which was a four-day meeting from Monday 11th to Thursday 14th August 1755 with results recorded in the 'Historical List of Horse Races and Matches run in 1755'. On the opening day the £40 five and six year old Plate was won by Mr Warren's chestnut horse, but the race was remarkable because it attracted a field of 14 which was very large at this time, including unplaced horses owned by Sir Warren Crosby, Captain Archer, Colonel Stratford and Dr Medlicot. The next day the £40 Purse went to Mr French's Robin Rusty Coat, who beat Mr Millers' grey. The Hunter's Plate on Wednesday 13th August 1755 was worth £30 and a Cup which was donated by the nearby Dunlavin Hunt Committee and it went to Mr Newenham's Wrangler. The final day, Thursday 14th Augst 1755 was for a £50 race in which all three horses carried 10st 6lbs, with Mr Dougherty's Munster Lass coming out on top. Although it is likely that other meetings were staged in and around Baltinglass, the results were not included in Racing Calendars again.

Monday 11th August 1755

Baltinglass £40 5 & 6-year-old Stakes
1. Unnamed chestnut horse owned by Mr Warren
2. Unnamed brown horse owned by Mr Archdall
3. SPORTSMAN, grey horse owned by Mr Reyl
4. HOBNOLE, grey horse owned by Mr Bevan
5. Unnamed chestnut horse owned by Dr Medlicot
6. Unnamed mare owned by Mr Usher
7. Unnamed mare owned by Captain Archer
8. Unnamed mare owned by Sir Warren Crosby
9. Unnamed chestnut horse owned by Colonel Stratford
10. Unnamed bay horse owned by Mr Coghan
11. Unnamed bay horse owned by Mr Grimes
12. Unnamed chestnut horse owned by Mr Perkins
13. JOLLY ROGER, bay horse owned by Mr Burrows
14. CONQUEROR, bay horse owned by Mr French
It was remarkable, at this time in history, that the race attracted such a large field of 14.

Tuesday 12th August 1755

Baltinglass £40 Purse
1. ROBIN RUSTY COAT, bay horse owned by Mr French
2. Unnamed bay gelding owned by Mr Miller

Wednesday 13th August 1755

Baltinglass £30 Hunters Plate (Donated by Dunlavin Hunt Committee)
1. WRANGLER, bay horse owned by Mr Newenham
2. Unnamed bay mare owned by Mr Lowther
3. Unnamed grey horse owned by Mr Norman
4. HIP, bay horse owned by Mr Burn
5. Unnamed mare owned by Mr Humphrey
6. Unnamed grey horse owned by Mr Stratford
7. Unnamed bay horse owned by Mr Reives
8. SPANKER, bay horse owned by Mr Tennison

Thursday 14th August 1755

Baltinglass £50 Purse
1. MUNSTER LASS, mare owned by Mr Dougherty
2. Unnamed black horse owned by Mr Archdale
3. Unnamed bay gelding owned by Mr Moloy

Over good hunting country on the edge of the town.

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

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