Earliest meeting: Thursday 1st August 1889
Final meeting: Tuesday 17th June 1941
The county Mayo town of Claremorris held minor race meetings in the early 19th century, but the appeal of the turf and the accessibility to ordinary punters was improved significantly when the railway network was extended from Dublin to Claremorris in 1860. Racing was organised by Claremorris Racing Club, its principal race, the Town Plate was widely advertised in the national newspapers well before the event, and its most active period of racing was in the latter part of the 19th and early 20th century. The meeting held on the Claremount course on Thursday 1st August 1889 offered an impressive card which included the Stewards’ Plate, Town Plate and Commercial Plate. Meetings continued to be popular and well supported into the 20th century, operating during the First World War. On Thursday 3rd June 1915 the Stewards’ Handicap Hurdle was won by Mr T Manley’s Mostrim who beat La Rosa and Browne Hall. Later in the card the Traders’ Chase went to Sparkle, although the feature Claremorris Chase was disappointing because Happy Go Lucky just had to walk over to claim the prize. Although meetings lapsed for a period after that war time meeting, racing was revived in 1926, and the Claremorris Racing Club played a leading role as peacemaker between the Irish Turf Club, the Government and the IPREA (Irish Provincial Racecourse Executives Association) when a number of issues arose in the late 1920s. These included the balance of fixtures between metropolitan and provincial courses, the taxation of racing, and the training of stipendiary stewards. After its revival in 1926 racing continued until a final meeting took place on Tuesday 17th June 1941.

Thursday 8th June 1899

Claremorris Ladies Plate over a mile and a half
1. Miss Baker owned by Mr H Lindsay-Fitzpatrick
2. Pleasure-Seeker owned by Mr J R Nally
3. Cinabob owned by Mr J P Egan

Claremorris Committee Plate over 2 miles
1. Palmleaf II owned by Mr J Brennan
2. Spring-Lock owned by Mr J P Egan
3. Daisy’s Joy owned by Mr J R Nally

Thursday 3rd June 1915
Claremorris Commercial Plate over 2 miles
1. Towanda, 6 year old owned by Mr E Callaghan
2. Georgina Mae, 5 year old owned by Mr H Kenny
3. Avenge, 5 year old owned by Mr J Coghlan
Betting: 4/7 Georgina Mae, 4/1 Towanda, 10/1 Avenge

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