Earliest meeting: Friday 8th July 1853
Final meeting: Tuesday 11th April 1873
The South Gloucestershire market town of Chipping Sodbury has a population of just over 5000 and, together with Old Sodbury and Little Sodbury, forms the civil parish of Sodbury. There was sufficient interest in horse racing in the town for it to hold its own race meetings in the middle of the 19th century, the first meeting taking place on Friday 8th July 1853 when billed as ‘Sodbury Races’. The meeting proved particularly successful for Mr Robert Shipp who won both the Produce Stakes and the Ladies Plate with Scratcher. The main Sodbury Stakes was contested over a mile and was won by Mr William Hollman’s Cain. The next record of a meeting in the town was on Friday 30th April 1869 when the opening Farmers’ and Trademen’s Steeplechase was won by Mr R Todd’s Vortex. Racing had taken place many years earlier on Chipping Sodbury common, but this latest series of meetings were held on Mr Daniel Salmon’s Raysfield Farm. Racing continued to be well-supported in the town for the next 4 years.The final meeting was staged on Tuesday 11th April 1873 on a 1 ½ mile course between Yate and Sodbury. The course started on Mr Daniel Salmon’s Raysfield Farm and continued on through fields owned by Mr C Stonham of Staunch Hall. The opening Farmers’ and Trademen’s Steeplechase was won by The Flirt who was the only horse to complete from a field of 5. The feature Badminton Steeplechase went to Forty-Four owned by Mr R Todd. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr W Tayler & Mr F J Vizard (Stewards) |
| Principal Races |
Badminton Hunters’ Steeplechase, Farmers’ and Tradesmen’s Chase |
Tuesday 11th April 1873
Badminton Hunters’ Steeplechase
1. Forty-Four, aged horse owned by Mr R Todd
2. Blazed Chestnut, aged horse owned by Mr A Grace
3. The First, aged horse owned by Mr F Goodwin
4. Cherry Brandy, bay mare owned by Mr A Grace |
The final meeting took place on Tuesday 11th April 1871. |
| Course today |
A 1 ½ mile course half way between Yate and Sodbury on land owned by Mr Daniel Salmon. |
| 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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| Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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