Earliest meeting: Wednesday 1st August 1838
Final meeting: Friday 22nd February 1861
Pontypool is a South Wales town located in the Afon Lwyd valley within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. James Whyte’s History of the British Turf noted that the first races to be held in the town were on Thursday 13th and Friday 14th October 1836 when the Pontypool Stakes was won by Mr Solloway’s Preston. Two years later the 2 day meeting in August 1838 was a small affair which only interested local people. It was held on a  circular, flat course of just under a mile, with a straight run in of 2 furlongs, opening with the Monmouthshire Stakes over 2 miles which went to Mr Gough’s Cleone. The Coronation Stakes which followed, also over 2 miles, was won by Baronet owned by Mr Phelps.  A further meeting was held the next year after which racing lapsed. Racing was revived in the town for one more meeting on Friday 22nd February 1861 when the Pontypool Stakes was won by Mr T Burrow’s Nimrod, beating Harriet and Sheffield, while the concluding Handicap went to Mr R Sly’s Yorkshire Miss.

Thursday 2nd August 1838
Pontypool Stakes over 2 miles
1. Rambler, bay gelding owned by Mr Bosley
2. Hatfield, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Gough
3. Brownlop, bay filly owned by Mr Wilkin

Racing did return to Pontypool for one more day on Friday 22nd February 1861.

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