Earliest meeting: Tuesday 17th December 1867
Final meeting: Thursday 20th September 1877
The town of Kingsbury was in the county of Middlesex but today it is a district of north-west London in the Borough of Brent. The word Kingsbury means Kings Manor and the area stretches from Queensbury to Wembley. It benefits from the vast Fryent Country Park and in the latter part of the 19th century it held its own successful race meetings. They were first held on a good hunting course 6 miles from London on Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th December 1867 when the principal race was the Metropolitan Handicap. Meetings operated successfully for the next 10 years until the meeting on Saturday 30th December 1876. The opening Hunters’ Flat race saw Cowdray beat Miss Doubtful, while the Selling Steeplechase went to Peter Simple beating Edward and Dunois. However, there was rowdiness, heavy drinking and significant damage to the local community after racing and this caused a number of residents to complain. A meeting did take place held on Thursday 20th September 1877, although the traditional post Christmas meeting on Saturday 29th December 1877 had to be postponed due to severe frost. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Captain Stirling, Major Browne |
| Principal Races |
Metropolitan Handicap, Kingsbury Open Steeplechase |
Saturday 30th December 1876
Kingsbury Open Steeplechase over 2 ½ miles
1. Prince Patrick, aged horse owned by Mr A Poole
2. Sandy, aged horse owned by Mr E Woodlard
3. Lady Pearl, 4 year old owned by Mr Woodland
4. Scots Grey, aged horse owned by Major Browne
Betting: 6/4 Prince Patrick, 2/1 Scots Grey. 5/2 Sandy, 7/1 Lady Pearl |
| The final meeting took place on Thursday 20th September 1877. |
| Course today |
On open ground about 6 miles from London. After the course closed it was taken over by a religious sect called 'The Shakers'. During a particularly brutal winter the former grandstand provided vital fuel. |
| 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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