Earliest meeting: June 1832
Final meeting: Still operational
The earliest record of racing on the Channel Island of Guernsey was in June 1832. Meetings were staged on L'Ancresse Common, in the north of the island, and this continues to be their home, although currently racing takes place just one day per year. One of the feature races on the card is the Sarnian Stakes which was won on Tuesday 22nd June 1841 by Master Joshua owned by Mr Priaulx. In 1886 Queen Victoria presented the racecourse with a trophy which is shown below; it was one of the final trophies presented by the Queen during her reign. Earlier and later trophies have been discovered; in 1842 she presented one at Plymouth, Devon & Cornwall races, while in 1888 a further trophy was donated to Guernsey. On Thursday 19th July 1894 the same race was won by Grimpo owned by Mr Priaulx. The present episode of racing started in 2005, with racing having ceased in 1992 when two meetings per year were held annually. Prior to that period there had been other periods of racing intermittently on the island. Before their current venture the Channel Islands Racing and Hunt Club sponsored a meeting in July 2004 at Les Landes on Jersey, and it was such a success that discussions began about reintroducing racing on Guernsey. Since 2005, when nearly 5000 people attended the inaugural meeting, racing has taken place on the majority of Bank Holidays and the course is ideally placed to call on horses not only from Guernsey, but also Jersey, the UK and France. It is now more likely that racing can continue to flourish on the island.
I am grateful to David Copland for the rare, historic trophy shown below. It weighs 1.122 kg of sterling Silver and is in the form of a repousse decorated three-handled stunning lions paw for feet and is engraved, 'This Cup, given by Her Majesty Queen Victoria, to the Guernsey Races 1886'.
Thursday 9th August 1900
The Sarnian Stakes over 2 miles
1. Poltroon owned by Mr W Goddard
2. Oxford Belle owned by Mr E Single
The L’Ancresse Plate over 1 ¼ miles
1. Lady Violet owned by Mr O Kerrin
2. Happiness owned by Mr T Miller-Davis
3. Cigarette owned by Mr A Clarke
The Channel Islands Racing and Hunt Club Plate over 1 ¼ miles
1. Victor owned by Mr T Miller-Davis
2. Guernsey Lily owned by Mr N Falla
3. Cambridge Belle owned by Mr J N Myer
The Keppel Plate over 1 ½ miles
1. Sir James owned by Mr J E Martin
2. Jersey Swell owned by Mr C Le Sueur
3. Cambridge Belle owned by Mr J N Myer
The 1910 meeting of the Guernsey Race Club took place on Lancresse Common Racecourse on Thursday 21st July 1910 under the patronage of Lieutenant-Governor H S Major J R Auld with C W Perchard acting as one of the Stewards.
Guernsey Cup (£30) over 1 1/4 miles
1. Miss Law (evens fav) owned by C W Perchard and ridden by Gammon
2. Admiral Togo (6/1) owned by N Falla and ridden by F Parvin
3. Black Jack (3/1) owned by H B Parson and ridden by G N Bennett
4. Pretty Girl (6/1) ridden by P P Curtis
5. Venue (10/1) ridden by Torode
6. Black Prince (10/1) ridden by Campbell
7. Cautesan (10/1) ridden by E Barthropp
Won by 4 lengths.
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
