Earliest meeting: Monday 28th June 1773
Final meeting: Friday 2nd July 1773
The County Mayo town of Ballinrobe, on the River Robe, still operates a very successful racecourse today, but in 1773 the Racing Calendar specifically mentioned the Maidenhill area on the outskirts of the town as hosting a week long programme of races. The first day of the festival was Monday 28th June 1773 when the 4 year old Purse went to Mr McDermott’s mare who beat Mr William Burke’s mare. Two days later the 5 year old Purse resulted in a good battle between Mr Lambert’s Schoolboy and Mr Daly’s Rocket, with the former prevailing. The main race on Friday saw Lord Altamont’s Brown Jack overcome Stradler, with Hollyhawk some way behind in third. Although Ballinrobe races went from strength to strength, Maidenhill races seemed to have fallen by the wayside. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 4 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Lord Altamont, Captain Fitzgerald |
| Principal Races |
Maidenhill 4 year old Purse, Maidenhill 5 year old Purse |
Friday 2nd July 1773
Maidenhill All Aged Purse
1. Brown Jack, brown horse owned by Lord Altamont
2. Stradler, aged horse owned by Mr Trench
3. Hollyhawk, bay mare owned by Mr Shadwell |
| The final meeting took place on Friday 2nd July 1773. |
| Course today |
In the Maidenhill area of Ballinrobe. |
| 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 |
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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 |
| Copies of the above books are only available by emailing johnwslusar@gmail.com stating your requirements, method of payment (cheque payable to W.Slusar) or Bank transfer, and the address where the book(s) should be sent. |
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