The Hampton Court area of London, near Sunbury-on-Thames, has seen a number of racecourses since the middle of the 19th century. Firstly there was Hampton racecourse which was not enclosed, and then on roughly the same site Hurst Park which was enclosed, as well as two modern Park courses, Sandown and Kempton. In 1872 businessman Mr S Hyde was returning home after watching the Derby when he spotted a 400 acre site formerly the Manor of Kempton. He purchased the site and set about transforming it into a fully enclosed Park racecourse. Kempton Park first opened for business on Thursday 18th July 1878 when it staged its first Flat race meeting. Full details of that inaugural meeting are shown below courtesy of the Sporting Times and British Newspaper Online. To mark Queen Victoria's 50th year as Queen, the Grand Jubilee Handicap was run for the first time on Saturday 7th May 1887, resulting in a win for Bendigo, and 22 years later she still occupied the throne in 1895 when the 2 mile Queen’s Prize was run for the first time. During the First World War, between 1914 and 1918, Kempton was used as a military transport depot. Fire destroyed the old grandstand in 1932 and it was two years before a new grandstand was completed and opened. The Grade 1 King George VI Chase, over 3 miles, was first contested in February 1937 when won by Southern Hero. Racing lapsed again between 1939 and 1946 when the course was used as a Prisoner of War camp. In 1966 a meeting, meant to be one of the most exciting days in Kempton’s history, turned out to be a sad one when Arkle sustained an injury in the King George VI Chase, so ending his magnificent career. The King George VI (full results shown below) remains one of the highlights of Kempton’s racing programme which continues to offer top quality racing across both codes. Currently the course offers 69 fixtures annually.
Older racegoers might question whether bookmakers are less generous today than in 1878. The extract from the Sporting Times of Saturday 20th July 1878 might provide the answer.
When Hampton Racecourse closed a group of local businessmen spotted an opportunity and formed the Hurst Park Club Syndicate Limited in 1889, with the sole intention of buying the old Hampton site and developing a closed course. This they did, but the problem was it was too small for Flat racing, only operating for a short time. Not to be deterred, they purchased nearby meadowland and extended the course to ensure that the Jockey Club would issue a licence to host Flat meetings. The first meeting to take place on Hurst Park, the replacement for Hampton Court Racecourse, was on Wednesday 19th March 1890 for a National Hunt meeting and Wednesday 25th March 1891 for a Flat race meeting. By the turn of the century the course was hosting top class racing and attracting the best horses. In 1901 the Derby winner Volodyovski was beaten by the Duke of Portland’s William the Third. Racing ceased from 1916 to 1918 for the First World War, and there was no racing from 1940 to 1945 when the course was used as a military camp for the Second World War. To recognise the significant part Winston Churchill had played in securing victory in the war, the Winston Churchill Stakes was first run in 1946. Winston Churchill visited the racecourse on a number of occasions, but his most exciting visit was in 1951 when his grey horse Colonist II won the Winston Churchill Stakes. The win was a very popular one and the course continued to be extremely well supported by the general public. However, the original venture was a business venture and the Company were keen to maximise their profit. They realised that the racecourse land was significantly more valuable as development land. The final meeting was held on Wednesday 10th October 1962.
Saturday 26th May 1951
White Rose Stakes over 1 mile 7 furlongs
1. Colonist II, grey horse owned by Winston Churchill
2. Pan II, ridden by R.Poincelet
3. Above Board, ridden by W.H.Carr
Betting: 2/1 Colonist II, 2/1 Above Board, 7/2 Pan II
The rare handbill shown below is provided courtesy of the Robert Shaw collection.
The sketch below is shown courtesy of the Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News edition of Saturday 20th July 1878 just two days after the inaugural meeting.
1938 The King George VI Chase was won by Airgead Sios trained by V.Tabor and ridden by T.McNeill
1947 The King George VI Chase was won by Rowland Roy trained by Fulke Walwyn and ridden by Bryan Marshall
1948 The King George VI Chase was won by Cottage Rake trained by Vincent O’Brien and ridden by Aubrey Brabazon
1949 The King George VI Chase was won by Finnure trained by George Beeby and ridden by Dick Francis
1950 The King George VI Chase was won by Manicou trained by Peter Cazalet and ridden by Bryan Marshall
1952 The King George VI Chase was won by Halloween trained by Bill Wightman and ridden by Fred Winter
1953 The King George VI Chase was won by Galloway Braes trained by Alec Kilpatrick and ridden by Bert Morrow
1954 The King George VI Chase was won by Halloween trained by Bill Wightman and ridden by Fred Winter
1955 The King George VI Chase was won by Limber Hill trained by Bill Dutton and ridden by Jimmy Power
1956 The King George VI Chase was won by Rose Park trained by Peter Cazalet and ridden by Michael Scudamore
1957 The King George VI Chase was won by Mandarin trained by Fulke Walwyn and ridden by Gerry Madden
1958 The King George VI Chase was won by Lochroe trained by Peter Cazalet and ridden by Arthur Freeman
1959 The King George VI Chase was won by Mandarin trained by Fulke Walwyn and ridden by Gerry Madden
1960 The King George VI Chase was won by Saffron Tartan trained by Don Butchers and ridden by Fred Winter
1961 The King George VI Chase was not contested because of frost
1962 The King George VI Chase was not contested because of frost
1963 The King George VI Chase was won by Mill House trained by Fulke Walwyn and ridden by Willie Robinson
1964 The King George VI Chase was won by Frenchman’s Cove trained by Harry Thomson-Jones and ridden by Stan Mellor
1965 The King George VI Chase was won by Arkle trained by Tom Dreaper and ridden by Pat Taaffe
1966 The King George VI Chase was won by Dormant trained by John Wells-Kendrew and ridden by Jeff King
1967 The King George VI Chase was not contested because of foot and mouth disease
1968 The King George VI Chase was not contested due to foot and mouth disease
1969 The King George VI Chase was won by Titus Oats trained by Gordon W Richards and ridden by Stan Mellor
1970 The King George VI Chase was not contested because of snow
1971 The King George VI Chase was won by The Dikler trained by Fulke Walwyn and ridden by Barry Brogan
1972 The King George VI Chase was won by Pendil trained by Fred Winter and ridden by Richard Pitman
1973 The King George VI Chase was won by Pendil trained by Fred Winter and ridden by Richard Pitman
1974 The King George VI Chase was won by Captain Christy trained by Pat Taaffe and ridden by Bobby Coonan
1975 The King George VI Chase was won by Captain Christy trained by Pat Taaffe and ridden by Gerry Newman
1976 The King George VI Chase was won by Royal Marshall II trained by Tim Forster and ridden by Graham Thorner
1977 The King George VI Chase was won by Bachelor’s Hall trained by Peter Cundell and ridden by Martin O’Halloran
1978 The King George VI Chase was won by Gay Spartan trained by Tony Dickinson and ridden by Tommy Carmody
1979 The King George VI Chase was won by Silver Buck trained by Tony Dickinson and ridden by Tommy Carmody
1980 The King George VI Chase was won by Silver Buck trained by Michael Dickinson and ridden by Tommy Carmody
1981 The King George VI Chase was not contested due to snow
1982 The King George VI Chase was won by Wayward Lad trained by Michael Dickinson and ridden by John Francome
1983 The King George VI Chase was won by Wayward Lad trained by Michael Dickinson and ridden by Robert Earnshaw
1984 The King George VI Chase was won by Burrough Hill Lad trained by Jenny Pitman and ridden by John Francome
1985 The King George VI Chase was won by Wayward Lad trained by Monica Dickinson and ridden by Graham Bradley
1986 The King George VI Chase was won by Desert Orchid trained by David Elsworth and ridden by Simon Sherwood
1987 The King George VI Chase was won by Nupsala trained by Francois Doumen and ridden by Andre Pommier
1988 The King George VI Chase was won by Desert Orchid trained by David Elsworth and ridden by Simon Sherwood
1989 The King George VI Chase was won by Desert Orchid trained by David Elsworth and ridden by Richard Dunwoody
1990 The King George VI Chase was won by Desert Orchid trained by David Elsworth and ridden by Richard Dunwoody
1991 The King George VI Chase was won by The Fellow trained by Francois Doumen and ridden by Adam Kondrat
1992 The King George VI Chase was won by The Fellow trained by Francois Doumen and ridden by Adam Kondrat
1993 The King George VI Chase was won by Barton Bank trained by David Nicholson and ridden by Adrian Maguire
1994 The King George VI Chase was won by Algan trained by Francois Doumen and ridden by Philippe Chevalier
1995 The King George VI Chase (run at Sandown because of snow at Kempton) was won by One Man trained by Gordon W Richards and ridden by Richard Dunwoody
1996 The King George VI Chase was won by One Man trained by Gordon W Richards and ridden by Richard Dunwoody
1997 The King George VI Chase was won by See More Business trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Andrew Thornton
1998 The King George VI Chase was won by Teeton Mill trained by Venetia Williams and ridden by Norman Williamson
1999 The King George VI Chase was won by See More Business trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Mick Fitzgerald
2000 The King George VI Chase was won by First Gold trained by Francois Doumen and ridden by Thierry Doumen
2001 The King George VI Chase was won by Florida Pearl trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Adrian Maguire
2002 The King George VI Chase was won by Best Mate trained by Henrietta Knight and ridden by Tony McCoy
2003 The King George VI Chase was won by Edredon Bleu trained by Henriette Knight and ridden by Jim Culloty
2004 The King George VI Chase was won by Kicking King trained by Tom Taaffe and ridden by Barry Geraghty
2005 The King George VI Chase (run at Sandown because Kempton was closed for refurbishment) was won by Kicking King trained by Tom Taaffe and ridden by Barry Geraghty
2006 The King George VI Chase was won by Kauto Star trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Ruby Walsh
2007 The King George VI Chase was won by Kauto Star trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Ruby Walsh
2008 The King George VI Chase was won by Kauto Star trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Ruby Walsh
2010 The King George VI Chase (run on 15th January 2011 due to snow on Boxing Day) was won by Long Run trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Mr Sam Waley-Cohen
2011 The King George VI Chase was won by Kauto Star trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Ruby Walsh
2012 The King George VI Chase was won by Long Run trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Mr Sam Waley-Cohen
2013 The King George VI Chase was won by Silviniaco Conti trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Noel Fehily
2014 The King George VI Chase was won by Silviniaco Conti trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Noel Fehily
2015 The King George VI Chase was won by Cue Card trained by Colin Tizzard and ridden by Paddy Brennan
2016 The King George VI Chase was won by Thistlecrack trained by Colin Tizzard and ridden by Tom Scudamore
2017 The King George VI Chase was won by Might Bite trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Nico de Boinville
2018 The King George VI Chase was won by Clan des Obeaux trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Harry Cobden
