Earliest meeting: Tuesday 21st April 1874
Final meeting: Tuesday 26th April 1881
The Castle Club administered race meetings on the Isle of Wight. They held meetings at both Rew Down and Ventnor, starting on Tuesday 21st April 1874 at Ventnor. Today Rew Down is a 23.5 hectare biological site of special Scientific interest set on chalk grassland which offers a panoramic view of the English Channel. Ventnor is a seaside resort on the island which was established during the Victorian Era. The final meeting at these venues took place on Tuesday 26th April 1881 with the last race, the Rew Down Cup, won by Astrakan owned by Mr D A Hambrough. Afterwards the Club moved their race meetings to Ashey. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
H Owen (Starter), John Harvey (Judge) |
| Principal Races |
Castle Club Cup, Rew Down Cup, Steward’s Plate |
Tuesday 26th April 1881
Steward’s Plate over 2 miles and 8 flights
1. Lord Limerick, aged horse owned by Mr D Thirwell
2. Alma, aged horse owned by Mr H Jolliffe
3. Polly, owned by Mr Tylden |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 26th April 1881. |
| Course today |
Course on the edge of Rew Down prone to being heavy ground. |
| 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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