Earliest meeting: Wednesday 8th August 1838
Final meeting: Thursday 28th August 1941
The county Clare town of Milltown Malbay, near to Spanish Point, is in the west of the county and held race meetings for well over a century. One of its first widely reported events was an extended four day meeting held at ‘The Baths’ from Wednesday 8th to Saturday 11th August 1838 when the Milltown Stakes over a mile and a half was won by Mr Eyre’s Heir of Kilmurray. On the concluding day the main Sweepstake saw Mr Bridgeman’s Poor Pat overcome Charming Julie and Anastasia. On Saturday 24th April 1844 a particularly interesting steeplechase meeting was organised over a challenging course consisting of 12 leaps, some of which were four feet high double stone walls, the remainder being large hedges with artificial trenches on both the take-off and landing sides. The Sweepstake was won by Mr Floyd’s Honesty, defeating Ballycar and Battle Quiff, while the Steward’s Handicap saw Mr Canny’s Malvina beat Gipsy and Ballycar. Meetings continued on the Sand Hill course throughout the latter part of the 19th century and into the early 20th century. At the meeting in 1903 the Spanish Point Plate proved to be controversial when Lady River, ridden by J.Quinlan, was deemed to have been held back so severely that the matter was referred to the Turf Club who warned the jockey off for 6 years. The course was inspected by newly appointed Irish Turf Club inspectors in March 1905 and the licence was withdrawn due to the poor condition of the course. Management took the necessary action so that the course was significantly upgraded, as were the stands and enclosures, and there was a realignment to ensure that spectators could view the entire race. The final meeting was held on Thursday 28th August 1941.

Wednesday 8th August 1838
Milltown Stakes over 1 ½ miles
1. Heir of Kilmurray, aged horse owned by Mr Eyre
2. Dunkellan, aged horse owned by Mr Butler
3. Gipsy, aged horse owned by Mr Canny

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