Earliest meeting: July 1843
Final meeting: Wednesday 5th May 1897
Early race meetings in Jersey were held on the beach at St Aubin at the start of the 19th century, but then the meeting moved to Greve d’Azette where the first races were staged on Thursday 11th August 1836 under the patronage of William IV. However, in July 1843 the meeting moved to Gorey Common, Grouville which is one of the 12 parishes on the largest of the Channel Islands, located in the south east of Jersey. Near to the racecourse common lies the Royal Bay of Grouville and the Royal Jersey Golf Club. Meetings continued on the Common for 54 years, with one of the later meetings held on Thursday 6th September 1894 when the Eastern Railway Plate was won by Colonel P Robin’s Her Ladyship; the Town Plate by Catharine for Mr J E Martin, and the Mount Orgueil Cup, over 2 miles, by Mr W Amy’s Highland Lass. However, the Grouville Plate was dominated by Mr J Le Cornu who occupied the first three places, primarily with Duke of Westhill. The final meeting took place on Wednesday 5th May 1897 when the Mount Orgueil Cup went to Sir James for Mr J E Martin and the Town Plate to Kilogram for Mr T L de Faye.
Thursday 6th September 1894
The Eastern Railway Plate over 1 ½ miles
1. Her Ladyship owned by Colonel P Robins
2. Duke of Westhill owned by Mr J Le Cornu
The Grouville Town Plate over 2 miles
1. Catharine owned by Mr J E Martin
2. Red Flag owned by Mr D Le Heuze
3. Grande Vitesse owned by Mr A Haize
The Mont Orgueil Cup over 2 miles
1. Highland Lass owned by Mr W Amy
2. Commune Queen owned by Mr J E Martin
The Grouville Plate over 2 miles
1. Duke of Westhill owned by Mr J Le Cornu
2. True Blue owned by Mr J Le Cornu
3. Jesse II owned by Mr J Le Cornu
Wednesday 5th May 1897
The Mount Orgueil Cup over 1 ½ miles
1. Sir James owned by Mr J E Martin
2. Snowflake owned by Mr P F Renouf
The Grouville Town Plate over 2 miles
1. Kilogram owned by Mr T L de Faye
2. Poorbox owned by Colonel P Robin
3. Joan of Arc owned by Mr J H Venn
The Grouville Plate over 2 miles
1. Sir James owned by Mr J R Martin
2. Temple Bruer owned by Mr J R Martin
The Eastern Railway Plate over 1 ½ miles
1. Kilogram owned by Mr T L de Faye
2. Honorette owned by Mr J Pinell
3. Poorbox owned by Colonel P Robin
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
