Earliest meeting: Wednesday 12th June 1839
Final meeting: Wednesday 20th September 1854
In the middle of the 19th century the Cotley Hunt enjoyed their sport in Somerset, Devon and Dorset in an area where all three counties met. Much of the land was covered by grass, although there were many banks which could not be jumped because of wire fences, so it was decided to organise an official race meeting. At that time the meeting was held in Dorset, with racing administered by the Cotley Hunt Committee. The inaugural meeting took place at a course a mile from Chard on Wednesday 12th June 1839 and after racing a dinner was held in the George Inn. Meetings continued annually for the next 15 years and in 1852 the card included the sweetly named Currant Jelly Hurdle Stakes. The last meeting was held on Wednesday 20th September 1854. Today the Cotley Hunt point to point course in Somerset is an undulating course with a dip after the ninth fence and is downhill until reaching the fourteenth fence, when there is an uphill finish.

Captain Quantock, Mr F C Langdon & Mr Edward Clarke (Stewards)

Wednesday 12th June 1839
Quantock Silver Cup over 2 miles
1. Hit or Miss, bay mare owned by Mr Gregory
2. Roulette, brown gelding owned by Mr Lang
3. Mountain Maid, bay filly owned by Mr Jeffery

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