Earliest meeting: Friday 24th September 1869
Final meeting: Monday 15th September 1873
The tiny Hertfordshire village of Redbourne, on the famous Roman Road of Watling Street, lies just 3 miles from Harpenden and 4 miles from St Albans. Despite being in the vicinity of much larger towns, Redbourne introduced its own races in 1869, benefitting from the horses stabled in its larger neighbours. The town had held pony and Galloway race meetings dating back to July 1827 which coincided with their annual fair, but the first meeting under rules was on Friday 24th September 1869. The feature race at that inaugural meeting, the St Albans Hunt Cup, was won by Mr T Lawson’s Merry Monk. The course was in Redbourne Park where meetings continued for the next 4 years until a final card was organised on Monday 15th September 1873. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Duke of St Albans |
| Principal Races |
St Albans Hunt Cup, Redbourne Park Stakes, Welter Cup |
Friday 24th September 1869
St Albans Hunt Cup over 2 miles
1. Merry Monk, chestnut colt owned by Mr T Lawson
2. Leap Year, brown horse owned by Mr Rolley
3. La Belle Jeane, chestnut mare owned by Mr Dannatt |
| The final meeting took place on Monday 15th September 1873. |
| Course today |
Redbourne Park |
| 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. |
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