Earliest meeting: Monday 10th October 1785
Final meeting: Thursday 11th October 1787
The small county Kildare town of Ballymore Eustace, on the River Liffey, is located close to the border with county Wicklow. In the mid-13th century, when just known as Ballymore, it had its own castle which was given to Thomas FitzEustace as constable of the town in 1373. He, in turn, passed it down through his family members until eventually the town became Ballymore Eustace. In the late 18th century the town held its own five day race meeting from Monday 10th to Friday 14th October 1785. The meeting was held across good hunting ground on the edge of the town and began with a Hunters Plate which went to Sir Charles Burton. On the second day a Weight for Age Handicap was run in two heats, with Colonel Lumm’s Prancer winning both heats, and the Colonel enjoyed further success the next day with his grey mare. After Lord Clanwilliams had won with Sweetbriar on Thursday 13th October, the concluding day saw Mr Edgeworth’s grey mare beat Berwick to land the All Age Plate. Two years later a four day meeting took place between Monday 8th and Thursday 11th October 1787, opening with a 30 Guineas Hunters race. An Ordinary was available each day at 5s 5d for gentlemen, half price for Ladies, with the clear instruction that no gentleman would be admitted to the Ladies Ordinary wearing boots. A Grand Ball was held after racing on the first day. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 4 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Lord Clanwilliams, Sir Charles Burton, Colonel Lumm |
| Principal Races |
Ballymore Hunters Plate, Ballymore Weight for Age Handicap |
Monday 10th October 1785
Hunters Plate
1. Unnamed horse owned by Sir Charles Burton |
Tuesday 11th October 1785
Ballymore Eustace £50 Weight for Age Handicap
1. PRANCER, 5 year old by Herod, owned by Colonel Lumm
2. Unnamed grey mare by Banker owned by Mr Edgeworth
3. SWEETBRIAR, 6 year old owned by Lord Clanwilliams |
| Lord Clanwilliam, John Meade, son of Sir Richard Meade, was born on 21st April 1744, and was known as Sir John Meade until 1766 when he was elevated to the peerage. He was debauched and a spendthrift, gambling away his entire family estate. In 1765 John married Theodosia Magill, a wealthy heiress who owned estates in Gilford and Rathfriland, and the couple had 10 children, 5 daughters, Anne, Catherine, Theodosia, Melosina and Maria Rose, and 5 sons, Richard, Pierce, John, Edward and Robert. As well as gambling, he kept a number of mistresses and had a passion for horseracing. He died, aged 56, on 19th October 1800. |
Wednesday 12th October 1785
Ballymore Eustace £20 Weight for Age Handicap
1. Unnamed grey mare owned by Colonel Lumm
2. Unnamed grey gelding owned by Mr Dunn
3. Unnamed bay mare owned by Mr Darin
4. Unnamed bay mare owned by Mr Dune |
| Colonel Charles Lumm was an enthusiastic racing man who owned Lumm Lodge Stud, a racing stable located at the Curragh. On of his best horses was Honest Tom, a son of King Fergus who himself was a son of the great Eclipse. Honest Tom won 5 Kings Plates and 24 races in Ireland during a distinguished career. |
Thursday 13th October 1785
Ballymore Eustace £50 Sweepstake
1. SWEETBRIAR owned by Lord Clanwilliam
2. Unnamed grey mare owned by Mr Edgeworth
3. BERWICK owned by Mr Fleetwood
4. HOB owned by Mr Bateman |
Ballymore Eustace £20 Sweepstake
1. Unnamed grey mare owned by Mr Edgeworth
2. BERWICK owned by Mr Fleetwood |
Originally scheduled to begin on 24th September 1787, a 4-day meeting was held from Monday 8th to Thursday 11th October 1787. The opening day, Monday 8th October, featured a 30 Guineas Hunters race over 4 miles, but in order to qualify a horse had to prove that it could clear a 12 foot drain and leap a 4 foot wall. On day 2, Tuesday 9th October, there was a £50 race for 4 and 5-year-olds over 3 miles. Day 3, Wednesday 10th October, featured a £50 race for 6-year-olds and aged horses over 4 miles. The meeting concluded on Thursday 11th October with a £50 Weight for Age race over 3 miles. All horses had to be shown to the Clerk of the Course, Edward Hughes, 6 days before the day of running. |
| The final meeting took place on Thursday 11th October 1787. |
| Course today |
Across fields on the edge of the town. |
| 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 |
