Earliest meeting: Monday 17th May 1869
Final meeting: Monday 9th April 1917
Although racing took place in the vicinity of Cork well before 1869, the first occasion a meeting was staged on Cork Park was on Monday 17th May 1869. The Park extended over 70 acres, bounded by the Monahan and Centre roads, and the inaugural meeting was a festival event with a Ball in the evening. The card opened with the Lee Stakes which was won by Glenavon, owned by Captain Le Mesurier, followed by the Citizen’s Handicap Steeplechase which saw Nabocklish of Captain Burke’s beat Standard Bearer and Esca. The highlight of the meeting was the Cork Grand Steeplechase which resulted in a fierce battle before The Kitten claimed it for Mr J D Whyte. Meetings continued for the next twenty years in a period of stability, although there was little expansion, but at the turn of the century five days racing a year was offered and prize money increased. This in turn increased the crowd size, but the the management tried to be too ambitious, further increasing the number of race days to seven. In the end this backfired, and attendances began to decline leading to financial pressure. The final meeting took place on Monday 9th April 1917.
Monday 17th March 1869
Cork Park, for too long not deserving of the name, was put to practical advantage of the citizens of Cork on Monday 17th May 1869 when a spectacle, which was deemed to be of national importance, offered such large prizes that it brought together large fields in each of the 6 races on the inaugural card. The principal Stewards were Lord Fermoy, Colonel Graves, Sir John Arnott and the local MP, Arthur Hugh Smith-Barry.
2.30 Lee Stakes over 2 miles
1. GLEVAVON (4/1 co fav) chestnut gelding owned and ridden by Captain Le Messuier
2. ZOUAVE (8/1) brown colt owned by Mr Barry and ridden by Singleton
3. KIT COLEMAN (4/1 co fav) chestnut colt owned by Mr Godfrey and ridden by Herbert
4. CLARISSA (8/1) brown mare owned by Colonel Graves and ridden by Browne
5. THE EARL (10/1) grey horse owned and ridden by Mr Wise
6. SUCCESSOR (10/1) grey gelding owned by Mr Creed and ridden by H Smith
7. CHATTERBOX (10/1) chestnut mare owned by Mr Connell and ridden by R Barry
8. CAREER (10/1) bay gelding owned by Mr Davis and ridden by Hawkes
9. THE PICTURE (10/1) chestnut gelding owned and ridden by Mr Norcott
10. LADY PLANET (10/1) bay mare owned by Mr O'Brien and ridden by Cahill
11. DUCHESS (10/1) bay filly owned by Mr McDonald and ridden by Lyons
12. UNNAMED bay mare (25/1) owned by Mr O'Grady and ridden by O'Regan
13. DARBY THE BLAST (5/1) bay filly owned by Captain Burke and ridden by Captain Fitzroy
14. ROSCOMMON (4/1 co fav) bay gelding owned by Captain Gubbins and ridden by White
15. FAILURE (5/1) bay colt owned by Lord Howth and ridden by Ennis
16. LENA LEE (10/1) bay filly owned by Mr Smith-Barry and ridden by S Barry
17. MARGARET (10/1) brown mare owned by Mr Edward and ridden by Wallace
18. ALGERINO (10/1) bay mare owned and ridden by Captain Browne
19. GAME CHICKEN (10/1) grey mare owned by Mr Conron and ridden by Middleton
3.15 Citizens' Stakes Handicap Steeplechase
1. NABOCKLISH (5/2) brown horse owned by Captain Burke and ridden by Gould
2. STANDARD BEARER (evens fav) bay gelding owned by Mr D F Gabbett and ridden by J Igo
3. ESCA (3/1) brown gelding owned by Mr R Creagh and ridden by Cusack
4. THE HUNTSMAN (5/1) brown gelding owned by Mr M Walsh and ridden by Whelan
4.0 Cork Grand National Steeplechase over 3 1/2 miles
1. SEA QUEEN (4/1) brown filly owned by Mr Mansergh and ridden by Clarewell
2. KNOCKANY (5/1) brown gelding owned and ridden by Mr Hume
3. THE KITTEN (2/1 fav) bay mare owned and ridden by Mr J D Whyte
4. BALLINDONAGH (6/1) bay gelding owned and ridden by Captain McCraigh
5. TURN-OF-LUCK (10/1) brown gelding owned by Mr Smith and ridden by Cheater
6. MOUNT GIFFORD (3/1) bay gelding owned by Mr Byrne and ridden by R Barry
7. RIVERSDALE (10/1) bay mare owned by Mr R Law and ridden by S Barry
8. MOUNT MARY (10/1) grey mare owned by Mr Scott and ridden by Rowe
9. LITTLE CARRIG (10/1) bay gelding owned by Mr Maynard and ridden by Captain Banelly
10. CLARIBEL (10/1) bay mare owned and ridden by Mr Neurestthenipponsketeterizo
11. SCOTS GREY (10/1) grey gelding owned and ridden by Captain Browne
4.45 Cork Military Steeplechase
1. ALGERINO (5/4) bay mare owned and ridden by Captain Browne
2. THE MONARCH (4/1) grey gelding owned vy Captain Phips and ridden by Rowe
3. THE ATTORNEY (evens fav) owned by Mr Wallace and ridden by Captain Fitzroy
4. CORNFLOWER (4/1) chestnut mare owned by Lieut. Turner and ridden by Singleton
5.30 Local Hunt Cup Steeplechase
1. LISNEGAR bay colt owned and ridden by Mr Spillane
2. EILEEN brown mare owned by Dr Foot and ridden by Atkins
3. ARCHY grey gelding owned and ridden by Mr R Barry
4. THE ATTORNEY (6/1) bay gelding owned by Mr Wallace and ridden by Captain Fitzroy
5. MISS BRADSHAW chestnut mare owned by Mr O'Callaghan and ridden by Hawkes
6. BALLYREDDIN (5/1 fav) chestnut gelding owned and ridden by Mr Hume
7. PRINCE ARTHUR bay horse owned and ridden by Mr De Salis
8. BISMARK bay gelding owned by Mr J H Barry and ridden by O'Leary
9. VIXEN grey mare owned by Mr Warren and ridden by Lenihan
10. FULL CRY black gelding owned and ridden by Mr S Barry
11. BORNETTE brown mare owned by Mr H Smith and ridden by Norcott
12. ARTIST bay horse owned by Mr G Scott and ridden by G Ware
13. OLD IRELAND grey gelding owned by Captain Fitzgerald and ridden by Cahill
14. THE YOUNG FRIAR chestnut gelding owned by Mr Hassett and ridden by Hawkes
15. MAINSAIL bay gelding owned by Mr Smithwicke and ridden by Wise
16. STIRRUP CUP bay mare owned by Mr Stanley and ridden by Browne
17. GEORGINA grey mare owned by Mr Henry and ridden by Peard
18. JEAN FOX grey mare owned by Mr Donnithorne and ridden by Middleton
19. THE NAILOR brown gelding owned by Mr Donegan and ridden by Rowe
20. MARGARET black mare owned by Mr Edward and ridden by Burrenley
6.15 Stewards Plate Steeplechase over 3 1/2 miles
1. MILDEW (2/1 jt fav) brown mare owned by Mr Dunscombe and ridden by P Clancy
2. ELEANOR (4/1) chestnut mare owned by Mr Sullivan and ridden by R Murphy
3. BALLYMENA (4/1) owned by Mr Beale and ridden by Hanlon
4. WILD CHIEFTAIN (2/1 jt fav) owned by Captain Burke and ridden by Gould
Thursday 9th May 1899
The Tivoli Handicap Plate over a mile
1. Minna owned by Mr J R D’Arcy
2. Mount George owned by Mr N Doyle
3. John Peel owned by Mrs Hartigan
The Tally-Ho Cup over 2 miles 5 furlongs
1. Sweetheart owned by Mr Atty Gillie
2. Steeplestown owned by Mr N J Kelly
3. Frenchhaven owned by Captain Murray
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
