Earliest meeting: Monday 23rd May 1842
Final meeting: Wednesday 16th February 1870
The County Tipperary town of Carrick-on-Suir benefits from the nearby Castletown Park which was the seat of Sir Richard Cox back in the middle of the 19th century. One of the earliest occasions the town staged a 2 day meeting was on Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th May 1842 in the Park close to where Sir Richard lived in his George II style house. The card opened with the Castletown Stakes over 1 ½ miles which was won by Lord Waterford’s Usurper, while the Free Handicap went to Mr Quin’s Drone. Later in the day Lord Waterford landed the Corinthian Stakes with Ballysax. Races continued to be held on an annual basis for the next 28 years, and at the two day meeting on Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th March 1853 the Challenge Cup eluded Lord Waterford when his Postilion was defeated by Mr Courtenay’s Cock Robin. The Sweepstake was won by Mr Dobbyn’s Oatstick from Tidy and Waterford, but the noble Lord gained his revenge on the second day by landing the Handicap with Postilion. The quality of meetings deteriorated towards the end of the 1850s, but a final meeting, organised by Officers of the local Garrison, was staged on Wednesday 16th February 1870 on a course 2 ½ miles from Carrick. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 4 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Lord Waterford, Sir Richard Cox, Mr Quin |
| Principal Races |
Carrick Challenge Cup, Castletown Stakes |
Monday 23rd May 1842
Castletown Stakes over 1 ½ miles
1. Usurper, bay horse owned by Lord Waterford
2. Fuyard, bay mare owned by Mr Quin
3. George, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Knox |
| The final meeting took place on Wednesday 16th February 1870. |
| Course today |
On Castletown Park. |
| 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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