Earliest meeting: Monday 17th April 1865
Final meeting: Tuesday 21st April 1868
The West Lothian town of Bathgate today has a council estate to the east of the town at Boghall. However, at one stage this was a village in its own right rather than being a suburb of Bathgate, organising its own races initially on Monday 17th April 1865. The course, on Mr Steedman’s Farm, offered good hunting ground and was so well-designed that every part of the race could be viewed by the large crowd, many taking advantage of the Pentland Hills nearby. The meeting was organised to celebrate the achievements of the 15th Hussars, its officers playing a prominent role in the races. The Purse was won by Captain Burrell’s Tom Steele, beating Friday and Sunset, while the Regimental Whip went to Mr Humphrey’s Waterwitch. Races continued for the next 3 years until a final card was staged on Tuesday 21st April 1868. That meeting opened with a Sweepstake over 2 ½ miles which went to Mr Laing’s Foreigner, beating Catspaw and Spring Gun. The Farmers’ Hunt Plate over 3 miles was won by course owner Mr J Steedman’s Golden Fleece, the even money favourite, defeating Paleface, Becky Sharp and Spriagkeld. The feature race, the 14th Hussars’ Challenge Cup over 3 miles, saw a good scrap between evens favourite Roulette and Captain F Hay-Newton’s Viceroy which was offered freely at 2/1. Although Roulette made the running, the chestnut gelding did not have the strength to stave off the determined late challenge of Viceroy. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 3 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
15th Hussars, Colonel Fitzwygram, Captain Ricardo |
| Principal Races |
Regimental Challenge Cup, Boghall Purse, Regimental Whip |
Monday 17th April 1865
Regimental Challenge Cup over 3 miles
1. Red Rock, chestnut gelding owned by Mr R B Wilson
2. Fair Rosamond, bay mare owned by Mr H W R Blackett
3. Waterwitch, chestnut mare owned by Mr Humphrey |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 21st April 1868. |
| Course today |
On Mr Steedman’s Farm, adjacent to the Pentland Hills, 6 miles south of Edinburgh. |
| If you have photos, postcards, racecards. badges, newspaper cuttings or book references about the old course, or can provide a photo of how the ground on which the old racecourse stood looks today, then email johnwslusar@gmail.com |
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 |
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ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3
652 pages
774 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0
352 pages
400 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7
180 pages
140 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4
264 pages
235 former courses |
| Copies of the above books are only available by emailing johnwslusar@gmail.com stating your requirements, method of payment (cheque payable to W.Slusar) or Bank transfer, and the address where the book(s) should be sent. |
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