Earliest meeting: Wednesday 27th August 1783
Final meeting: Tuesday 14th April 1857
Dorchester, the historic county town of Dorset, lies on the River Frome midway between Poole and Bridport. The first recorded races took place on Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th August 1783 on a course which was situated a mile from Dorchester towards Fordington, off the A35 London Road and Styer’s Lane. Both races were over a demanding 4 mile course and were won by Dormouse and Reptile. By 1822 results were being included in Baily's Racing Register when the meeting was known as the Dorchester and Chatham meeting. The rector of St George’s Church, on High Street Fordington near Dorchester from 1829 to 1880 was Reverend Henry Moule. He hated the thought of people drinking and gambling, campaigning to stop Dorchester Races in the 1830s. The racecourse held its final meeting on 14th September 1838. Later, at Waddon Vale, the Dorchester Races continued from 1856 to 1857, with a final meeting on Tuesday 14th April 1857.
Lord Palmerston, Kings Irish Hussars, Captain Campbell
27th – 28th August 1783
Dorchester £50 Plate over 4 miles
1 Dormouse owned by Mr Kingsbury
Dorchester £50 Stakes over 4 miles
1 Reptile owned by Mr Parker
Thursday 29th August 1822
Dorchester City Plate over 2 miles
1. Legal Tender owned by Mr Tyrone Jones
Chatham Town Plate over 2 miles
1. Gift owned by Mr Brown
Monday 4th October to Tuesday 5th October 1824
Dorchester Tradesmen’s Plate over 2 and a quarter miles
1. Agnes owned by Mr Cockburn
2. Black and all Black owned by Mr Farquharson
3. Biondetta owned by Lord Palmerston
Dorchester Ladies Plate over 2 and a quarter miles
1. Franconi owned by Captain Campbell
2. Masquerader owned by Mr Radclyffe
3. Unnamed filly by Waterloo owned by Mr Farquharson
King’s Royal Irish Hussars Plate over 3 miles
1. Agnes owned by Mr Cockburn
2. Franconi owned by Captain Campbell
3. Isabella owned by Mr H Smith
Thursday 13th September & Friday 14th September 1838
Dorchester Stakes over 2 ¼ miles
1. Joannina owned by Lord Villiers
2. Mervan owned by Captain Williamson
3. Rattle owned by Mr W Ley
Dorchester Silver Bowl over 1 ½ miles
1. Arctic owned by Mr Galpin
2. Caroline owned by Mr G Harding
3. Queen of the Valley owned by Mr John Harding
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.
.jpg)
Later at Waddon Vale the Dorchester Races continued from 1856 to 1857.
The final meeting took place on Tuesday 14th April 1857.
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
