Earliest meeting: Friday 28th July 1843
Final meeting: Friday 28th July 1843
The Wiltshire village of Bratton is located less than 3 miles from Westbury on the northern slope of Salisbury Plain. It boasts the massive earthworks of an Iron Age Hill Fort which is known as Bratton Castle. It was in the vicinity of this castle that races were staged on Friday 28th July 1843 when billed as ‘Westbury and Bratton races’, although Westbury had a prolonged series of races later in the century. Although the Yeomanry Cup did not fill, the Westbury Cup, restricted to residents within 20 miles of Westbury, was won by Captain Freeston’s Master May beating Brother to Vane, while the main race, the Bratton Castle Stakes, was won by Mr Carlisle’s Viginti. Meetings certainly took place before this one, although only minor races were staged, and the meeting moved on to become ‘Westbury races’ a decade later.

Friday 28th July 1843
Bratton Castle Stakes over 1 ¾ miles
1. Viginti, aged mare owned by Mr Carlisle
2. Tigress, aged mare owned by Mr lake
3. Bridesmaid, aged mare owned by Mr A Vivian

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

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