The Wellington Renbaan Racecourse is to be found on the coast of Belgium at Ostend, a city with a population approaching 100,000. The track was built in 1883 and gained its name from the First Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley who fought in Flanders in 1794 and later went on to help defeat Napoleon at Waterloo. The right handed oval turf course has a circumference of 8 furlongs with a short home straight, and the season now traditionally begins in July and lasts until early September, although prior to 2008 the season extended from May to September. The track caters not only for thoroughbred racing, but also for harness racing enthusiasts. Whilst there was a period of closure between 2008 and 2012, the track has now relaunched itself as a popular part of the Summer circuit and has as Its principal race the Grand Prix Prince Rose over 2200 metres which is contested each July and was first run in 1886. In 1898 it was known as the Grand International of Ostend, but after the victory of Prince Rose in 1931 the race was renamed Grand Prix Price Rose. The horse has sound claims to being the best horse ever to have been trained in Belgium, not only winning the Grand International of Ostend, but also the 1932 Prix du President de la Republic in France.
The photo below shows the grandstand in 1890.
A 20th century Ostend badge
A very rare Ostend Member's badge from 1903
Selected Grand Prix Prince Rose winners
1923 The Grand International of Ostend was won by Lifeboat
1924 The Grand International of Ostend was won by The Capuchin
1925 The Grand International of Ostend was won by Ptolemy
1928 The Grand International of Ostend was won by Rialto
1929 The Grand International of Ostend was won by Royal Palace
1930 The Grand International of Ostend was won by Beumont
1931 The Grand International of Ostend was won by Prince Rose
1932 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Sanzio
1933 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Crapom
1934 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Easton
1935 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Admiral Drake
1936 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Corrida
1937 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Corrida
1939 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by My Tresor
1973 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Rheingold
1978 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Dom Alaric
1979 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Black and Gold
1980 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Argument
1981 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Strong Gale
1982 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Castle Keep
1983 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Prima Voce
1985 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Daun
1986 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Anatas
1987 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Classic Tale
1988 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Street Line
First run in 1898, the Grand Prix Prince Rose was formerly known as the Grand International d'Ostend. It was contested annually each July on Belgian National Day and in 1931 was won by its most famous winner Prince Rose. The race was run for the final time in 1988 before a 30 year lapse.
The painting above is by Bob Demuyser (1920 - 2003) who gave permission for it to be shown in the public domain. It is of Prince Rose, by Rose Prince out of Indolence, who contested 20 races, winning 16 of them.
I am very grateful to Allan Hailstone for the photographs of the racecourse which he took on a flight from Southend to Ostend on 25th July 1960. The stand shown below can clearly be seen in the aerial shot.
The picture postcard below is a recent image of the racecourse
2008-2012 Ostend racecourse was not operational
2017 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Miracle Ninety-nine
2018 The Grand Prix Prince Rose was won by Sound of Freedom
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
