Earliest meeting: Saturday 12th July 1862
Final meeting: Thursday 22nd October 1863
Pembroke, the historic county town of Pembrokeshire, had been holding races since the mid 1800’s, with the first recorded meeting taking place on the Orielton Estate, home of the Baronetcy of Orielton, in April 1856. The meeting lasted for 3 further years at this venue until it transferred to Freshwater East in 1860. This seaside town was a lovely setting for races on the beach, although it is thought that the meeting only remained until 1862. Further records show that a meeting first took place at Pembroke Dock on Saturday 12th July 1862 when the meeting was held at Barrack Hill. The Pembroke Dock Stakes was won by Mr T Davies’ Deerfoot, beating Mr James’ Jerry and ten others. The feature race, the Coronation Stakes, was won by Mr Brinn’s Black Bird. The next year a meeting was held at the same venue on Thursday 22nd October 1863, before moving on to a course at St Daniel’s Banking, where it remained until 1869. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 3 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Major Simpson, Major Travers, Captain Fitzroy (Stewards) |
| Principal Races |
Pembroke Dock Stakes, Coronation Stakes, Pembroke Castle Hurdle, Pembroke Stewards’ Plate, Garrison Plate |
Saturday 12th July 1862
Coronation Stakes
1. Black Bird, aged horse owned by Mr Brinn
2. Dick Turpin, aged horse owned by Mr James
3. Tom Sayers, aged horse owned by Mr T Davies |
| The final meeting took place on Thursday 22nd October 1863. |
| Course today |
On Barrack Hill overlooking Pembroke Dock.
|
| 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 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
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 |
| Download an order form |
| |
Quantity |
Cost |
| Volume 1 North of Hatfield £19.99 + £4 postage |
|
|
| Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage |
|
|
| Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage |
|
|
| Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage |
|
|
| Volumes 1 - 4 £54.96 + £5 postage |
|
|
| Postage & Packaging |
|
|
| Total |
|
|
| Email order form to johnwslusar@gmail.com |
|