Phoenix Park Racecourse is a former horse racing venue in Ireland. It was located in the townlands of Ashtown and Castleknock in the civil parish of Castleknock on the northern edge of the Phoenix Park in Dublin. The course was founded by J. H. H. Peard, and racing began there in 1902.
From 1939 to 1950 the track was managed by Mr Peard's son Harry, and thereafter it was run by his widow Fanny. Mrs Peard retired in 1969, and the track closed for the first time at the end of the 1981 season. The course re-opened for the 1983 season, now owned by a consortium which included Vincent O'Brien and Robert Sangster. Due to financial difficulties the track was permanently closed for racing in late 1990.
Several of Ireland's leading flat races, which are presently contested at other venues, originally took place at Phoenix Park. These include the Irish Champion Stakes and the Phoenix Stakes. Other races of note held at Phoenix Park include the G III Vauxhall Trial Stakes.
Famous quotes containing the words phoenix and/or park:
“Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion’s paws,
And make the earth devour her own sweet brood;
Pluck the keen teeth from the fierce tiger’s jaws,
And burn the long-liv’d phoenix in her blood;
Make glad and sorry seasons as thou fleet’st,
And do what’er thou wilt, swift-footed Time,
To the wide world and all her fading sweets;”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Mrs. Mirvan says we are not to walk in [St. James’s] Park again next Sunday ... because there is better company in Kensington Gardens; but really, if you had seen how every body was dressed, you would not think that possible.”
—Frances Burney (1752–1840)