Earliest meeting: Monday 1st July 1751
Final meeting: Wednesday 25th May 1887
The Irish racecourse at the town of Castlebar, the County town of Mayo, served the town and its surrounding villages from 1751. The ‘Historical List of Horse Matches run’ recorded a two day meeting took place on Monday 1st and Tuesday 2nd July 1751 when the principal race was the Castlebar Plate for 30 Guineas. The meeting proved to be popular and continued to be held annually, often spread over 6 days, until 1887. Ordinaries were served in the Castlebar Hotel prior to racing and Assemblies held there each evening. However, ‘Castlebar Races’ occupies a much more important place in history because during the Irish Rebellion a combined force of 2000 French and Irish troops, led by General Humbert, resisted 6000 British militia on 27th August 1798. The ‘heroes of Castlebar Races’ were celebrated in a grand centenary event in September 1898. Races continued in the town and were also held in nearby Breaffy, with the 1830s meetings referred to as the Breaffy and Castlebar Races. The final meeting at Castlebar was held on Wednesday 25th May 1887. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 4 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Captain Gore |
| Principal Races |
Castlebar Plate, Castlebar 30 Guineas Sweepstake |
Monday 1st July 1751 |
Castlebar £30 Plate
1. Maidenhead, mare owned by Captain Gore 4 1 1
2. Fearnought, horse owned by Mr Dillon 2 2 2
3. Starling, horse owned by Mr Blake 3 3 dist
4. Veteran, horse owned by Mr Daly 1 dist |
Tuesday 2nd July 1751 |
Castlebar £30 race for 5 and 6 year olds
1. The Healer of Cashel, mare owned by Mr Kissin 1 1
2. Unnamed mare by Starling owned by Mr Dillon 2 dist
3. Unnamed horse by Whitefoot owned by Mr Cole 3 dist
4. Unnamed horse by Taffy owned by Mr Borris 4 dist |
| The final meeting took place on Wednesday 25th May 1887. |
| Course today |
In fields to the south of the town centre. |
| 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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