Earliest Meeting: 1684
Final Meeting: Friday 10th September 1847
The small Scottish town of Banff, in the Banff and Buchan region of Aberdeenshire, is located on Banff Bay in the estuary of the River Deveron opposite the town of Macduff. Once the capital of the historic county of Banffshire, it boasts a castle which was built in 1163, and was once a Royal Burgh which was conferred on the town by King Robert II in 1372. In the late 17th century, the town held horse racing, the earliest record of a meeting being 1684. Over a century later Banff was closely associated with Aberdeen to stage larger meetings usually advertised as Aberdeen, Forfar, Kincardine and Banff races in the 1800s. |
Although Aberdeen races were first held in 1793, by 1818 they had evolved into a much larger meeting known as Aberdeen, Forfar, Kincardine and Banff races, the first such meeting being held on Tuesday 15th September 1818.
Tuesday 15th September 1818
Caledonian Welter Stakes 20 Guineas each over 2 miles
1. SPECULATION, bay horse owned by Mr Maule
2. BOUNTY, chestnut mare owned by Mr Baird
3. GIFT, chestnut gelding owned by Lord Huntley
4. PEDESTRIAN, bay gelding owned by Lord Kennedy
Wednesday 16th September 1818
Gold Cup, valued at 100 Guineas and donated by the Members of the County, over 2 miles
1. RODERICK, chestnut gelding owned by Lord Kintore
2. BOLIVAR, brown colt owned by Mr Maule
3. THE MILLER, chestnut gelding owned by General McKenzie
4. GIFT, chestnut gelding owned by Lord Huntley
Aberdeen City Plate 50 Guineas over 3 miles
1. HIGHLANDER, bay gelding owned by Lord Fife
2. JOHN DHU, black colt owned by Lord Huntley
Thursday 17th September 1818
Ladies Plate 50 Guineas over 3 miles
1. BOBBY, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Baillie
2. ACHILLES, chestnut mare owned by General McKenzie
Lord Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire 50 Guineas Plate over 3 miles
1. BONNY JEMMY, bay horse owned by Captain Barclay
2. GIFT, chestnut gelding owned by Lord Huntley
3. ACHILLES, chestnut mare owned by Mr Webster
Earl of Fife 50 Guineas Hunters Plate over 3 miles
1. BOUNTY, chestnut mare owned by Mr Baird
2. SPECULATION, bay gelding owned by Mr Maule
3. THE MILLER, chestnut gelding owned by General McKenzie |
The final 2-day meeting entitled Aberdeen, Forfar, Kincardine and Banff races took place on Thursday 9th and Friday 10th September 1847, with the final race, a hurdle race, being won by Kingsbury Lass owned by Mr G Gordon. They were revived in 1876 under rules for a short period when known as Aberdeen races, and continued not under rules until the First World War. |
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 |
