Vincent Hinde Collection

Downpatrick Racecourse

Records indicate that racing took place in the County Down town of Downpatrick as early as 1685, administered by the Down Royal Corporation of Horsebreeders which was created by King James II in a Royal Charter in that same year. The Corporation’s records indicate that the great stallion, The Byerley Turk, one of the three founding fathers of modern horseracing, took part in a race at Downpatrick in 1690. What is undisputed is that the Byerley Turk was Colonel Robert Byerley's charger at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. The Down Royal Corporation continued to use Downpatrick until 1789, after which it made use of Maze, which later became Down Royal. Although racing lapsed in 1867, a new course opened in beautiful countryside in 1870, about a mile from the town centre, when meetings were billed as County Down Hunt races. After the Second World War in 1945 the meetings were relaunched as Downpatrick races. On 6th April 1962 the Queen Mother visited Downpatrick to witness her horse Laffy win the Ulster Grand National. The principal race is the Ulster National Handicap Chase which is now run over 3 miles 4 ½ furlongs, although the inaugural running in 1939 was over 3 miles 3 furlongs, when won by 25/1 outsider Ballyhooley owned by Mr Dick Sheehan, trained by Cecil Brabazon and ridden by E Kennedy. The full result of the first Ulster Grand National is shown below.  Currently the course stages 9 fixtures annually.