Vincent Hinde Collection

Gowran Park Racecourse

Racing first took place in the Gowran Park area of Kilkenny at Jenkinstown and Danesfort in the 19th century. However, the racecourse at Gowran Park, on the Annely Estate, is one of the most recent Irish courses, first opening its gates on Tuesday 16th June 1914. Full details of that inaugural meeting, which brought an end to a 15 year drought of racing in Munster, county Kilkenny, are shown below. Principal Stewards at the meeting were Lord Annaly and Captain Dermot McCalmont, while the Great Southern and Western Railway Company offered their full support. The course, offering both Flat and National Hunt racing, was made famous in 1952 when it became the first racecourse in Ireland to benefit from a racecourse commentary, with its most prestigious race, the Thyestes Chase Handicap over 3 miles 1 furlong in January, often used as a preparatory race for Cheltenham. The Handicap is named after Thyestes, who won his only 2 races as a Two-year old in 1930 before suffering an injury, retiring to Stud in Yorkshire. Initially the Thyestes trophy was donated by Major Dermor McCalmont to the Kilkenny Show where it was won by John McEnery of Rossenarra Stud. He, in turn, donated it to Gowran Park in 1954, and the Handicap trophy has been contested ever since. Both the mighty Arkle and Flyingbolt won the Chase prior to their Cheltenham successes. The course now boasts modern facilities which were completed in 2003. Currently the course hosts 16 fixtures annually.