Earliest Meeting: Thursday 13th July 1893
Final Meeting: Thursday 12th August 1909
The small Devon village of Christow, about 12 miles South-west of Exeter, lies in the Teign Valley and is on the edge of the Dartmoor National Park. It boasted one of the smallest racecourses in the country, with a perimeter of just 2 furlongs, meaning a mile race required the completion of 4 circuits. It held its inaugural meeting on Thursday 13th July 1893 in fields owned by Mr Baker which adjoined the Teign House Inn. Arrangements for the meeting were made by Mr W Richards, the Secretary, ably supported by Mr J Hellier, the Clerk of the Course, Mr Hutchings, the Clerk of the Scales, Mr Harris the Starter, and Mr T Lamble who acted as Judge. A varied card consisted of 5 races, including a pony race, a Galloway race and the principal race, the Christow Stakes.
Thursday 13th July 1893
Christow Open Pony Race over 1 1/2 miles
1. ROSE OF DEVON owned by Mr Newton and ridden by J Inch
2. BUTCHER BOY owned by Mr Rogers and ridden by L Abbot
3. DUKE owned by Mr Tucker and ridden by Tucker
4. PET owned by Mr W Godfrey and ridden by W Guest
5. MIDGET owned by Mr Hellier and ridden by R Hellier
Christow Stakes over 2 miles
1. SPITER owned by Mr Perry and ridden by C Bawden
2. FOXHUNTER owned and ridden by Mr E Edward
3. SYBLE owned and ridden by Mr W Baker
4. RAIBORNE owned by Mr E Baker and ridden by J Inch
Christow Confined Pony Race over 1 1/2 miles
1. DOLLY owned and ridden by Mr W Baker
2. MISS MAY owned by Mr R Cox and ridden by Guest
3. POLLY owned and ridden by Mr Penhale
Christow Open Hurdle over 1 1/2 miles
1. MAGGIE owned and ridden by Mr Stokes
2. PRIMROSE GIRL owned by Mr Westcott and ridden by C Bawden
3. LITTLE HASTY owned by Mr Harvey and ridden by Stokes
Open Galloway
1. MAGGIE owned and ridden by Mr Stokes
2. PRIMROSE GIRL owned by Mr Westcott and ridden by Bowden
3. BLUE BELLE owned and ridden by Mr C Bawden
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the 1903 map shown below.
Meetings continued to be held on an annual basis, although the site of the racecourse changed year on year, choosing a different field in the vicinity of the Teign House Inn. The final meeting was staged on Thursday 12th August 1909.
Christow Open over 2 miles
1. STARLIGHT (Evens jt fav) owned by Mr H Wheaton and ridden by E Tucker
2. SECRET (Evens jt fav) owned by Mr Hepper and ridden by J Inch
3. GOLDEN BLAZE (10/1) owned by Mr H Russell and ridden by H Williams
4. LADY HELEN (10/1) owned by Mr J Bates
5. BOBBIE (10/1) owned by Mr George Westby
6. RYDEN GIRL (10/1) owned by Mr W Dobbs
7. WHITE SOCKS (10/1) owned by Mr Arscott
Pony Race over 1 1/2 miles
1. TOO LATE (Evens fav) owned by Mr W J Edwards and ridden by E Tucker
2. LITTLE JAM (2/1) owned by Mr W Norman and ridden by H Wood
3. LITTLE JACK (10/1) owned by Mr F J Palk and ridden by St James
4. HAMMER & TONGS (10/1) owned by Mr R Seward
5. COMET (6/1) owned by Mr A H Sherman
Open Race over 1 1/2 miles
1. LITTLE MITE (Evens fav) owned by Mr H Russell and ridden by H Welham
2. DOLLY GREY (2/1) owned by Mr V J Staddon and ridden by A James
3. NIMROD (5/1) owned by Mr J Bickford and ridden by J Inch
4. HUSSY (8/1) owned by Mr J Molland
5. MY GIRL (8/1) owned by Mr H Shooter
6. RUBY (8/1) owned by Miss Lucas
Christow Stakes over 2 miles
1. MANDINE (1/3 fav) owned and ridden by Mr A H Sherman
2. PADDY (6/1) owned and ridden by Mr R Seward
3. HAMMER & TONGS (8/1) owned and ridden by Mr A Seward
4. TOO LATE (8/1) owned by Mr W J Edwards
5. BLACK JACK (8/1) owned by Mr R Hellier
Consolation Race over 2 miles
1. BOBBIE (4/1) owned by Mr G Westby
2. LADY HELEN (1/2 fav) owned by Mr J Bates
3. COMET (10/1) owned by Mr A H Sherman
4. RYDEN GIRL (4/1) owned by Mr W Dobbs
Although a meeting was arranged for Tuesday 27th September 1910 it was abandoned and not rearranged.
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
