Earliest meeting: Friday 18th June 1824
Final meeting: Tuesday 18th June 1850
Aust Passage, an ancient area of Somerset near the Bristol Channel, was mentioned in the Domesday Book when known alternatively as Osterclive. It is close to the Severn Way and held its own races in the middle of the 19th century to celebrate Waterloo Day. The inaugural meeting took place on Tuesday 18th June 1824 and was held annually, whenever possible on this date each year, for over 40 years. The meeting on Tuesday 18th June 1850 had Mr N. Leigh and Mr J. Hands acting as Stewards, and the feature race, the Handicap Stakes, was won by Mr Harris’s Lady Day. Race numbers were boosted when trains on the Bristol and South Wales Line stopped at New Passage station, although the crowds enjoyed the occasion more than the racing itself, which was described as of low quality. The course, a half mile section of the beach marked out by flags, was located at the Wharf. Meetings continued until a final card took place on Tuesday 18th June 1867.
Tuesday 18th June 1850
Aust Passage Sweepstakes over 1 ½ miles
1. Lady Day, 4 year old owned by Mr Harris
2. St Ruth, 4 year old
3. Countess, 3 year old
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.
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Much of the information about this course has been found using internet research and is in the public domain. However, useful research sources have been:-
London Illustrated News
Racing Illustrated 1895-1899
The Sporting & Dramatic Illustrated
Northern Turf History Volumes 1-4 by J.Fairfax-Blakeborough
The Sporting Magazine
A Long Time Gone by Chris Pitt first published in 1996 ISBN 0 900599 89 8
Racing Calendars which were first published in 1727
