Earliest meeting: Monday 4th June 1753
Final meeting: Monday 3rd May 1915
The Irish town of Trim, formerly the traditional County town of Meath but later replaced by Navan, had its own racecourse which entertained a town with a population of just under 7,000. The first occasion results from the racecourse were listed in the Racing Calendar was from the 4 day affair in 1753. The meeting opened in disappointing style on Monday 4th June when Mr John Brown’s chestnut walked over to claim the 25 Guineas race.  The next day the Give and Take Handicap was won by Mr Story’s Queen of the May, and Lord Antrim had a winner on 6th June when Thwack’em landed the 30 Guineas Purse. The best race of the week was reserved for Thursday 7th June when Cyrus claimed the 5 year old Stakes. In many ways the course was ahead of its time because in August 1777 they offered a minimum purse of £50 per race. In 1807 the course began specialising in offering Sweepstakes, rather than more prestigious races. This encouraged punters to enjoy competitive racing which did not always equate to quality racing. Racing continued for almost a century and a half, with meetings very well supported, until the final card was staged on Monday 3rd May 1915. The meeting opened with the Meath Plate over 2 ½ miles which went to the 5/4 favourite All Sorts, owned by Mr J Kiernan, while the prestigious Trim Cup, a 3 runner affair, went to outsider of three Never Tell at the rewarding odds of 5/1.

Lord Antrim, Sir M Wyvill, Mr Conolly, Mr Darcey French

4th June 1753

Trim 25 Guineas Race
Unnamed chestnut horse owned by Mr John Brown walked over

5th June 1753

Trim 20 Guineas Give & Take
1. Queen of the May, chestnut mare owned by Mr Story
2. Unnamed brown mare owned by Mr Giles
3. Unnamed bay mare owned by Mr Duncan

6th June 1753

Trim 30 Guineas Purse
1. Thwack’em, bay horse owned by Lord Antrim
2. Primate, black horse owned by Sir M Wyvill

7th June 1753

Trim 20 Guineas 5 year old Stakes
1. Cyrus, bay horse owned by Mr Mervin
2. Unnamed brown mare owned by Mr Fisher
3. Merry Lass, chestnut mare owned by Mr Williamson

Tuesday 30th July to Saturday 3rd August 1782

Trim 5 Year Old Stakes over 3 miles
1. Honest Grattan owned by Mr Cross
2. Favourite owned by Mr Conolly
3. Enchantress owned by Mr Heney

Trim 4 Mile Stakes
1. Olympia owned by Mr J Shadwell
2. Harmony owned by Mr R Hamilton
3. Promise owned by Mr Darcey French

Trim Plate over 4 miles
1. Latitude owned by Mr Sherlock
2. Senator owned by Mr R Hamilton
3. Spectator owned by Mr J Burke

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