Earliest meeting: Tuesday 22nd November 1870
Final meeting: Tuesday 19th November 1907
The county Tyrone village and townland of Drumquin, on the River Fairywater, is located between Omagh and Castlederg. It held race meetings for a prolonged period in the late 19th and early 20th century, with one of the earliest two day meetings staged on Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd November 1870. It was reported that a crowd in excess of 10,000 attended the races on a beautiful track of meadow lying along the banks of the meandering stream surrounded by hills which provided a natural viewing point. The meeting opened with the Drumquin Plate in which Mr Durning’s Fairy Queen defeated Idle Boy after two heats. The feature race, the Alloa Brewery Company’s Plate saw Mr McSwiggan’s Curley Kate defeat Little Dick after Rossfad had refused while leading. The meeting ran into a second day when the Consolation race was won by Mr Buchanan’s Bess beating the unfortunate Rossfad. Meetings continued on a regular basis, including a steeplechase meeting on Tuesday 29th October 1878, while the final record of a noteworthy meeting was on Tuesday 19th November 1907, although even after this date minor races were held. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 4 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr H Bradley, Mr D McNena, Mr W Anthony (Stewards) |
| Principal Races |
Drumquin Plate, Alloa Brewery Company’s Plate, Drumquin Steeplechase |
Tuesday 22nd November 1870
Alloa Brewery Company’s Plate
1. Curly Kate, aged mare owned by Mr McSwiggan
2. Little Dick, aged horse owned by Mr Gallagher
3. Rossfad, aged horse owned by Mr Allingham |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 19th November 1907. |
| Course today |
By the banks of the stream with the surrounding hills providing natural viewing points. |
| 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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