Earliest meeting: Tuesday 5th April 1836
Final meeting: Wednesday 16th April 1879
At one time the county of Kent was divided into East Kent and West Kent, with East Kent classified as being that area to the East and South of the River Medway. In the early 19th century East Kent held its own nomadic races, but the only recorded meeting in this initial period of racing was on Tuesday 5th April 1836 when Zerlina won the feature Hunters’ Stakes. Kent has boasted a number of racecourses throughout history, but with the recent closing of Folkestone the county now has none. In 1871 and 1872 the East Kent meetings were at Wye and the Old Park, Canterbury, but Waldershare Park became the home of East Kent races from 1873 through to a final meeting on Wednesday 16th April 1879. The meetings were hosted by Lord Guilford who provided a marquee and luncheon for several hundred guests at the meetings. The feature race on Tuesday 9th April 1873, the East Kent Hunt Cup, saw Mr G Fereia’s Meteor defeat The Wanderer and Confidence. |
This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Lord Guilford, Lord St Vincent |
| Principal Races |
East Kent Hunt Cup, Sandgate Chase, Military Steeplechase |
Tuesday 9th April 1873
East Kent Hunt Cup 2 ½ miles
1. Meteor, grey gelding owned by Mr G Fereia
2. The Wanderer, brown gelding owned by Mr Gough
3. Confidence, grey mare owned by Lord Guilford |
The final meeting took place on Wednesday 16th April 1879. |
| Course today |
Waldershare Park |
| 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. |
| ORDER FORM |
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| Volume 1 North of Hatfield £19.99 + £4 postage |
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| Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volumes 1 - 4 £54.96 + £5 postage |
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