The Kilkenny Hunt Cup, 1868 Co. Kilkenny: Equestrian Intere...

Hammer

€5,000

The Kilkenny Hunt Cup, 1868

Co. Kilkenny: Equestrian Interest: A fine quality 19th Century Trophy in the form of an Armada Jug or Ewer, hallmarked John Smyth, Dublin 1865, the overall bulbous body decorated with chased flower heads and applied with a central griffin mask and a pair of winged figures, the lid with spring action, raised on a double domed lobed circular foot, approx. 35cms (13 3/4") high, 41.5 ounces. (1)

Note:  Kilkenny Horse Racing under Kilkenny Hunt.
During the 18th & 19th Centuries horse racing was very popular among the ruling elite. They set about selecting venues and laying out race tracks on a large scale to compete with each other and to test the worth of their horses. Eventually, every county in Ireland had race tracks, some amounting to the mid-twenties in number.
In County Kilkenny eight tracks were in operation since 1755.  These were Goresbridge, Gowran Park, Jenkinstown Park, Johnstown, Johnstown Bridge, Kilkenny, Commons of Lyons and Whitefield. By the end of the 19th Century all the courses had ceased to exist except Gowran Park which is still very much active and thriving. Kilkenny with the Associated Hunt (Kilkenny Hunt) had as its named courses Dunmore and Danesfort. Racing is first recorded for Kilkenny Racecourse in 1762 and ran on an intermittent basis until 1899. In all seventy two (72) years were recorded as returning reports of racing.

Results were published in the Racing Calendar for all venues between the years 1751 and 2001 as are all results to the present day for all extant courses.