Earliest meeting: Monday 15th July 1782
Final meeting: Monday 28th May 1888
Kilcock is a town in the north of County Kildare which borders the county of Meath. Today it has a population of over 5000, but back in the late 18th century it was a small, rural community which held its first race meeting on Monday 15th July 1782. The meeting stretched from Monday 15th to Thursday 18th July 1782 and on day one the Weight for Age Handicap was won by Mr Francis Dillon’s Telemachus. Later in the week the Catch Weight Stakes was won by Mr Sherlock’s Davy, while the Gentlemen’s Hunters Stakes fell to Distiller. Races continued intermittently for almost 100 years, with crowds boosted by special excursion trains from Dublin, but at times the sport was poor and fields very small. At the meeting on Monday 25th February 1861 the Dublin Citizens Gold Challenge Cup was won by Mr R Studder’s Gladiator, while on the same card the Kilcock Handicap went to Mr Murray’s Vagrant. Steeplechase races were still being staged on Monday 28th May 1888 after which the racing became inferior and the card often included pony races.

Monday 15th to Thursday 18th July 1782

Kilcock Weight for Age Handicap
1. Telemachus owned by Mr Francis Dillon
2. Promise owned by Mr D French
3. Dairy Maid owned by Mr Boylan

Kilcock Catch Weight Stakes
1. Davy owned by Mr Sherlock
2. Gypsy owned by Mr Beaghan

Kilcock Gentleman’s Hunters Stakes
1. Distiller owned by Mr L Tighe
2. Unnamed mare owned by Mr Cullen
3. Rater owned by Mr Davis

The appeal of the turf and the accessibility to ordinary punters was improved significantly when the railway network was extended in 1847. Kilcock racecourse received sponsorship for its meeting from the Midland and Great Western Railway Company.

Monday 25th February 1861
Dublin Citizens Gold Challenge Cup over 3 miles
1. Gladiator, grey horse owned by Mr R Studder
2. Little Bob, bay gelding owned by Mr Scott
3. Vagrant, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Murray
Betting: 2/1 Vagrant, 3/1 Martha, 3/1 Gladiator, 4/1 Little Bob

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