Earliest meeting: Monday 29th August 1763
Final meeting: Thursday 12th September 1844
The parish of Banagher is in County Londonderry and consists of the medieval area of Banagher and the ancient area of Boveva, as well as the townlands of Tireighter and Park. There was a church in Banagher as early as 1121, but much later, in the middle of the 18th century, the parish held race meetings which were sufficiently important to be included in the ‘Historical List of Horse Races and Matches’. The four day meeting ended on Thursday 1st September 1763 and the next time racing was recorded was in the 19th century. While minor, largely unreported races took place as late as 1893, the final time a full reported meeting was staged was a two day affair from Wednesday 11th to Thursday 12th September 1844. The meeting finished in controversy with the running of the Sweepstake Hurdle. There was a false start, followed by a disqualification of first passed the post Cruikshank in Heat One, followed by a disqualification of Gipsy in Heat 2 because the rider failed to make the weight, leaving a walk-over in Heat 3 for Queen Mab..

Banagher Subscription Cup, Banagher 30 Guineas Hunters Race, Banagher Silver Cup

29th August 1763

Banagher Open race
1. Modesty, bay mare owned by Mr Donelly
2. Goliah, bay horse owned by Mr Armstrong
3. Surly, bay horse owned by Mr Connelly

30th August 1763

Banagher 30 Guineas Hunters Race
1. Roger, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Rumney
2. Unnmaed mare owned by Mr Armstrong
3. Unnamed bay horse owned by Mr Hewson

31st August 1763

Banagher 3 mile Race
1. Constant Betty, grey mare owned by Mr Heaney
2. Creeping Kate, grey mare owned by Mr Newenham
3. Pitt, bay horse owned by Mr Lambert

1st September 1763

Banagher 4 year old race over 2 miles
1. Prim, bay gelding owned by Mr Lambert
2. Shelangigg, bay mare owned by Mr Daly
3. Alwire, chestnut mare owned by Mr Newcomb
4. Sinker, grey horse owned by Lord Mount Eagle

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