Since the 17th century the Down Royal Racecourse has brought the “Sport of Kings” to generations of people in Northern Ireland – it is a race course steeped in history.Â
Racing has been taking place on the current course, at Maze near Lisburn, since, the early 18th Century on land donated by Arthur Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire, but the history of Down Royal goes further back to 1685 when King James II issued a Royal Charter and formed the Down Royal Corporation of Horse Breeders.Â
In 1750 King George II donated £100 to run King’s Plate and to the present day a race named Her Majestys Plate is run in July over 1 mile 5 furlongs with the prize money contributed to by the Privy Purse.