Earliest meeting: Monday 27th July 1752
Final meeting: Friday 31st July 1756
The County Antrim village of Glenarm lies on the north channel coast near to the town of Larne. On the outskirts of the village is Glenarm Forest Park which stretches to 800 acres and was once part of the Glenarm Castle Estate. Racing first took place in this area in 1752 when the Racing Calendar of that year reported a meeting taking place on the Bellair Course. The three day meeting began on Monday 27th July 1752 with the Glenarm £20 Purse over 4 miles which went to Mr Dale’s bay gelding Hack. The next day the £40 Plate saw Charles O’Neill’s Chimney Sweep ward off the challenge of the Earl of Antrim’s Fly, while the meeting concluded on Wednesday 29th July when the Earl of Antrim won the £30 Plate with Trusty. Four years later a full five day meeting from Monday 27th to Friday 31st July was staged when the most competitive race took place on Wednesday 29th July with Captain Johnson’s Highlander beating Charles O’Neill’s Silver Legs and True Blue. Although races were still being held in Glenarm in the early 20th century the card contained pony races and the village is better known for its rowing regatta races. |
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| Local Patrons |
Earl of Antrim, Lord Mazareen |
| Principal Races |
Glenarm Purses & Plates |
27th July 1752 |
Glenarm £20 Purse over 4 miles
1. Hack, bay gelding owned by Mr Dale
2. Unnamed chestnut mare owned by Mr Harris
3. Unnamed grey gelding owned by Mr Robinson |
28th July 1752 |
Glenarm £40 Plate over 4 miles
1. Chimney Sweeper, black gelding owned by Charles O’Neill
2. Fly, bay mare owned by the Earl of Antrim |
29th July 1752 |
Glenarm £30 Plate over 2 miles
1. Trusty, bay horse owned by the Earl of Antrim
2. Pledge, chestnut horse owned by Charles O’Neill
3. Unnamed black mare by Old Starling owned by Lord Mazareen |
| The final meeting took place on Friday 31st July 1756. |
| Course today |
On the Bellair Course. |
| 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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