Earliest meeting: Thursday 17th March 1881
Final meeting: Thursday 17th March 1881
The Oxfordshire village of Coleshill lies in the Vale of the White Horse in Oxfordshire close to Buscot Park. There was a race meeting in the village in the latter part of the 1800s, with the meeting directed by the Old Berkshire Hunt committee. The Old Berks can trace its history back to 1830 and organised the solitary meeting under rules on Thursday 17th March 1881. The opening Farmers’ Cup was won by Mr R Aldworth’s Sorceress who beat Hard Times. In the concluding United Farmers’ Hunt Race Sorceress landed a double by winning this event as well. Although this is the only meeting billed entirely to the Old Berkshire, meetings with other Hunt Committees were staged at various times. However, even to this day the Old Berks hold point to point meetings at Lockinge.
Earl of Craven, Mr V Van de Weyer (Steward), Mr F Atkins (Clerk)
Thursday 17th March 1881
Old Berks Hunt Club Steeplechase over 2 miles
1. Yellow Jack, aged horse owned by Mr J Jackson
2. Tedworth, aged horse owned by Mr T H Deacon
3. Swindon, aged horse owned by Mr T H Deacon
Betting: 7/4 Yellow Jack, 7/4 Red Deer, 3/1 Kinsman
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.
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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
