Earliest meeting: Tuesday 16th July 1867
Final meeting: Wednesday 17th July 1867
Just off the south coast in the borough of Havant, Hampshire is Hayling Island. It seems an unusual place to have a racecourse, but in the middle of the 19th century it organised a two day meeting on Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th July 1867. The course was in front of the Royal Hotel with the packed grandstand facing the hotel. On the first day the crowd size was depleted because of inclement weather and the cancellation of the trains from Havant. Trains were restored on day 2 and the grandstand was packed. The opening race on the Tuesday was the Hayling Handicap which saw the 3/1 British Tar beat 2/1 favourite Prima Donna. The feature race was the Waterloo Stakes, with 21 runners, which went to outsider Heather Bell. The final day of racing was staged on Wednesday 17th July 1867 and despite an immense crowd there are no records of any future meeting taking place under rules. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Earl Poulett, Viscount St Vincent, Sir William Throckmorton |
| Principal Races |
Waterloo Stakes, Naval and Military Stakes, Westmead Cup, Hayling Handicap |
Tuesday 16th July 1867
Waterloo Stakes H16
1. Heather Bell, aged horse owned by Mr Ayling
2. Purveyor, aged horse owned by Mr J Dixon
3. The Fawn, aged mare owned by Sir William Throckmorton
Betting: 7/4 The Fawn, 4/1 Purveyor, 8/1 Heather Bell |
| The final meeting took place on Wednesday 17th July 1867. |
| Course today |
In the town centre in front of the Royal Hotel. |
| 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. |
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