Earliest meeting: Monday 27th July 1752
Final meeting: Tuesday 28th July 1752
The County Meath town of Ratoath is a bustling town today, but was once part of the Barony of Ratoath. It lies close to Fairyhouse where the Irish Grand National is contested annually. Ratoath once held its own races which were first included in the Historical List of Races in 1752. The 4 day meeting was held in July, although there were walk overs on two of the days. On the first day of actual racing on Monday 27th July the Give and Take race was won by Mr Forster’s bay mare, which got the better of Mr Flood’s gelding and Mr Prior’s horse. The final day of racing was on Tuesday 28th July 1752 when the feature race was confined to 5 and 6 year olds and won by Creeping Kate. There is no evidence of further meetings taking place in the town.

27th July 1752

Ratoath £20 Give and Take
1. Unnamed bay mare owned by Mr Forster
2. Unnamed gelding owned by Mr Flood
3. Unnamed horse owned by Mr Prior

28th July 1752

Ratoath £20 Plate for 5 & 6 year olds
1. Creeping Kate, bay mare owned by Mr H L Rowley
2. Marlborough, bay horse owned by Colonel McGuire
3. Drowsey, gelding owned by Mr C Fortescue

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