Earliest meeting: April 1874
Final meeting: Thursday 17th August 1911
The county Meath village of Slane, on the left bank of the River Boyne, was founded by the Flanders family who dominated the area until they emigrated to America. In the 18th century the Conyngham family created a model village in the centre, with four almost identical Georgian houses at its heart. By April 1874 the Marquis of Conyngham was supporting racing in Slane, donating a large silver tankard, engraved with a horse and jockey, to be contested annually at the races. Meetings continued to be staged on a regular basis, although racing was described in local newspapers as unpretentious and seldom high class. The card held on Monday 28th June 1886 was typical of a Slane meeting, beginning with the Slane Plate over two miles which saw Mr S Kelly’s Barbrook defeat Kelvin and Eglantine, after which there were two pony races, the Town Plate and Stewards Handicap Plate, both of which were won by Mr P Cullen’s Modesty. The feature race, as always, was the Conyngham Plate for hunters which provided Eglantine with compensation for an earlier defeat, giving loyal owner Mr G F Gradwell a deserved success. Over ten years later, at the meeting on Thursday 13th July 1899, Mr G F Gradwell was still supporting the racecourse and enjoying the odd victory. In the Committee Plate his mare Little Blanche managed third place behind Nanette, before he triumphed in the Stewards Plate with Bell Hatch. Meetings continued to be well supported and successfully managed into the early 20th century until a final card took place on Thursday 17th August 1911.

Monday 28th June 1886
Conyngham Hunters Plate over 2 ½ miles
1. Eglantine, 4 year old owned by Mr G F Gradwell
2. Sauce, 5 year old owned by Mr M J Saurin
3. Chaseaway, 5 year old owned by Mr J Williamson

Thursday 13th July 1899

The Slane Committee Handicap Plate over a mile and a half
1. Nanette owned by Mr E Delany
2. Billy Driver owned by Mr W Hoey
3. Little Blanche owned by Mr G F Gradwell

The Slane Stewards Plate over 2 miles
1. Bell Hatch owned by Mr G F Gradwell
2. Honeymoon owned by Mr W T Brabazon
3. Dairy Lass owned by Mr P Cox

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

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