Earliest meeting: Monday 3rd April 1837
Final meeting: Saturday 16th March 1844
The County Cavan town of Kingscourt, also known as Dunaree, lies close to the Cavan-Meath border. It once held its own series of race meetings in the middle of the 19th century, the first of note being a two day meeting on Monday 3rd and Tuesday 4th April 1837 over sporting country just a mile from town. The principal race, the Kingscourt Challenge Cup, was won by Mr M Williamson’s Nora Crenia from Mr P Ward’s Irishman. The later Town Stakes was secured by Dan O’Connell for Mr Coates. Meetings continued to be held annually, with the Kingscourt Challenge Cup won by Welcome in 1839. The final two day meeting worthy of reporting took place on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th March 1844 on a two mile course three miles north of the town, when the feature Challenge Cup went to Mr Ward’s Paddy Carey, while the Handicap Stakes was won by Egg Flip for Mr Bridge. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 4 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr Ward, Mr Nesbitt |
| Principal Races |
Kingscourt Challenge Cup, Kingscourt Town Plate |
Wednesday 27th September 1839
Kingscourt Challenge Cup over 2 miles
1. Welcome, bay horse owned by Mr Saliary
2. Simplicity, aged horse owned by Mr Ward
3. Mountain Maid, bay mare owned by Mr Nesbitt |
| The final meeting took place on Saturday 16th March 1844. |
| Course today |
Initially over sporting country less than a mile from town and then a later course 3 miles north. |
| 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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