Earliest meeting: Tuesday 19th September 1854
Final meeting: Thursday 25th September 1862
The Jenkinstown Park racecourse in County Kilkenny, situated midway between Kilkenny some 10 kilometres to the north and Castlecomer some 11 kilometres to the south, had the grounds of Jenkinstown Castle (circa 1830) nearby. The inaugural 2 day meeting was staged on Tuesday 19th and Wednesday 20th September 1854 on a 1 ½ mile round course a short carriage trip from the town centre. The opening Trial Stakes went to Mr P Foley’s The Trapper. Meetings continued to be well supported each year with the highlight being the Jenkinstown Park Stakes which in 1852 was won by Lord Howth’s Seducer. Crowds were boosted each year when excursion trains were provided by the Waterford & Kilkenny Company. The final meeting took place on Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th September 1862 with the last running of the Jenkinstown Park Stakes going to the Even money favourite Staunton owned by Mr O’Reilly. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 4 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Viscount St Lawrence, Lord Howth, Sir T Burke, Mr E J Irwin |
| Principal Races |
Jenkinstown Park Stakes, Flying Stakes, Trial Stakes Handicap |
Monday 17th & Tuesday 18th September 1855 |
The Trial Stakes Handicap over a mile
1. Trapper owned by Mr Foley
2. Astronomer owned by Mr Bryan
3. Rosetta owned by Mr Onion
The Jenkinstown Park Stakes over 2 miles
1. Seducer owned by Lord Howth
2. Albatross owned by Mr Dennis
3. Eugenia owned by Mr Irwin
The Flying Stakes over 4 furlongs
1. Curragh Lass owned by Sir T Burke
2. Ariel owned by Mr Gibbons
3. Astronomer owned by Mr Bryan |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 18th September 1855. |
| Course today |
A 1 ½ mile round course within walking distance of the town centre. Jenkinstown Park still exists today, although there is little indication of where the races took place. |
| 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. |
| ORDER FORM |
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| Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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