The John Meagher Memorial Chase is a Listed

National Hunt In horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Republic of Ireland, National Hunt racing requires horses to jump fences and ditches. National Hunt racing in the UK is informally known as "jumps" and is divided into two major distinct branches: ...

steeplechase in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at

Thurles Thurles (; ''Durlas Éile'') is a town in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is located in the civil parish of the same name in the barony of Eliogarty and in the ecclesiastical parish of Thurles. The cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Arc ...

over a distance of about 2 miles and 6 furlongs (4,426 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in November. The event was formerly a handicap, first run in 1996, and was called the Thurles Handicap Chase. It became a conditions race in 2004, and it was given Listed status in 2009 at which point the race was renamed the Thurles Chase. It was renamed in 2011 in memory of John Meagher, a great supporter of

, who had one of his biggest days there when Monanore, which he also bred, landed the prestigious Molony Cup when trained by his great friend Billy Harney. A keen amateur rider in his younger days, Meagher was nicknamed ‘Bougoure’ after the legendary Australian jockey

Garnet Bougoure Garnet Bougoure (3 March 1923 – 22 November 2008) was an Australian jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing who was highly successful competing in South-East Asia and in Europe. Bougoure was a still a boy when he left his home in Dalby, Queensl ...

, who was attached to the

Vincent O'Brien Vincent O'Brien (9 April 1917 – 1 June 2009) was an Irish race horse trainer from Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland. In 2003 he was voted the greatest influence in horse racing history in a worldwide poll hosted by the ''Racing Post''. In ...

and Paddy Prendergast yards in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Since 2015 it has been sponsored by the Boomerang Horse & Country Store.

Records

Most successful jockey (4 wins): *

Ruby Walsh Rupert Walsh (born 14 May 1979 in Kill, County Kildare, Ireland) is an Irish former jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen. Walsh is the third most prolific winner in Brit ...

- ''See Just There (1998), Mossy Green (2005), Noble Prince (2013),

Champagne Fever Champagne Fever (foaled 26 May 2007) is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who competes in National Hunt racing. He is noted for his front-running style and has won seven of his thirteen races. After beginning his racing career on the amateur po ...

(2016) '' *

Davy Russell Davy Russell (born 27 June 1979) is a retired Irish National Hunt jockey. He was Irish jump racing Champion Jockey three times, and won the Grand National (twice), the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris. Childhood and ama ...

- '' Public Reaction (2006),

War of Attrition The War of Attrition ( ar, حرب الاستنزاف, Ḥarb al-Istinzāf; he, מלחמת ההתשה, Milhemet haHatashah) involved fighting between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and their allies from ...

(2008), Roi du Mee (2012), Alpha des Obeaux (2018) '' Most successful trainer (8 wins): *

Willie Mullins William Peter Mullins (born 15 September 1956) is an Irish racehorse trainer and former jockey. Career He commenced racehorse training in 1988 having previously worked as an assistant to his father Paddy Mullins and Jim Bolger. Willie is a fo ...

– '' See Just There (1998), Mossy Green (2005),

Sir Des Champs Sir Des Champs (28 May 2006 – 18 May 2018) was a French-bred, Irish-trained AQPS racehorse who competed in National Hunt races. After winning only one of his five races in his native country, Sir Des Champs was transferred to Ireland and wo ...

(2015),

(2016), Bachasson (2017), Footpad (2019), Cilaos Emery (2021), Classic Getaway (2023) ''

Winners

References

* Racing Post: ** , , , , , , , , , ** , , , , , , , , , ** , , , , {{Racing Post, 772056, 2020, 11, 19, 198 ----
independent.ie
– ''"Compliance back in the groove" (2009)'' National Hunt races in Ireland National Hunt chases Thurles Racecourse

Records

Winners

See also

References