Richard Gauthier Collection

Brighton Racecourse

Although there is some belief that racing was staged in Brighton as early as 1713, the earliest results from Brighton was at their two day meeting on Tuesday 26th and Wednesday 27th August 1783 when the meeting was known as Brightelmstone. The main race on the first day was a 4 mile sweepstake which was won by Puff, although the Brightelmstone Plate had been contested at neighbouring Lewes since 1774. Brighton benefitted from powerful supporters, including the Dukes of Richmond and Cumberland, Lord Egremont and none other than Sir Charles Bunbury. The Prince of Wales visited Brighton races for the first time on 2nd August 1784 when accompanied by a number of French noblemen. It is probably no coincidence that the next year The Prince of Wales (later to become Prince Regent in 1810) was amongst the subscribers for the Conflans Stakes, and an interesting feature of this meeting was that French horses were given a weight allowance of 7 lbs. By 1805 trouble brewed at Brighton when the farmer, whose land the racecourse was built upon, claimed 100 guineas or 27 gallons of wine for the privilege of leasing his land. The Jockey Club did not honour the deal and the farmer threatened to plough the racecourse. However, he saw the light when a group of thugs, allegedly employed by the Jockey Club, threatened to escort the farmer to the Napoleonic Wars. In this same year the Prince of Wales donated a silver cup to be presented to the winner of the Brighton Cup. The cup, which still survives today, is housed in the Brighton Pavilion. In 1857 a dinner was held to celebrate the retirement of one of Brighton’s most famous racing sons, Leviathan Davies, one of the biggest bookmakers of his day. The 1864 Brighton Club Stakes was won by Alcibiade, not remarkable in itself, but made remarkable because he went on to win the Grand National the next year in his first steeplechase. In 1884 Brighton Corporation took charge of the racecourse under the terms of the Improvement Act. The course closed during the War and in 1916 the main stands were used to store ammunition for the War effort. During the period 1920-1936 racing continued, but throughout this period the course was beset by crime. Pickpockets, tricksters, razor gangs and protection racketeers ruined the racecourse experience for normal, law-abiding citizens. This was not unique to Brighton, and in 1936 riots erupted at nearby Lewes Racecourse and the police took firm, decisive action against the Hoxton gang which marked a line in the sand as the beginning of the end for severe racecourse trouble. In 1997 the running of Brighton Racecourse was taken over by Northern Racing, led by Sir Stanley Clarke, and its future looked secure. Brighton currently enjoys 22 fixtures between April and October.
Tuesday 26th August 1783
Brightelmstone £50 four-year-old Purse over 2 miles
1. Puff, a grey colt by Cardinal Puff owned by Mr Adams
Wednesday 27th August 1783
Brightelmstone £50 Purse over 4 mile heats
1. Eliza, 5 year old bay mare by Herod owned by Sir Charles Bunbury

1872 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ¾ miles was won by Proto-martyr owned by Mr Spencer and ridden by Constance 8 ran
1873 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Lilian owned by Mr Savile and ridden by Maidment 5 ran
1874 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Scamp owned by Sir J D Astley and ridden by Glover 4 ran
1875 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Louise Victoria owned by Mr Cartwright and ridden by Custance 9 ran
1876 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Chancellor owned by H E Beddington and ridden by Custance 5 ran
1877 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Harbinger owned by F Gretton and ridden by Hopkins 9 ran
1878 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Don Carlos owned by C J Langlands and ridden by A Hall 6 ran
1879 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Advance owned by Captain Machell and ridden by George Fordham 11 ran
1880 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Humbert owned by Mr Jardine and ridden by Kellett 10 ran
1881 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Thunderstruck owned by Tom Cannon and ridden by E Martin 6 ran
1882 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Windsor owned by C Blanton and ridden by Balentyne 9 ran
1883 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Whin Blossom owned by B Jardine and ridden by E Martin 5 ran
1884 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Quilt owned by Sir G Chetwynd and ridden by C Wood 5 ran
1885 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Newton owned by the Duke of Westminster and ridden by G Barrett 5 ran
1886 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Chelsea owned by Mr Lambert and ridden by J Goater 4 ran
1887 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Abu Klea owned by C J Merry and ridden by Fitton 7 ran
1888 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Fretwork owned by Lord Bradford and ridden by Wall 11 ran
1889 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Polydor owned by Lord Cholmondeley and ridden by G Barrett 6 ran
1890 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Dark Blue owned by the Duke of Beaufort and ridden by R Chaloner 8 ran
1891 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Veau d’Or owned by J B Leigh and ridden by G Chaloner 8 ran
1892 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Lady Rosebery owned by Mr Abingdon and ridden by J Watts 8 ran
1893 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Metallic owned by Mr Ellis and ridden by J Watts 5 ran
1894 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Egerton owned by A D Cochrane and ridden by Allsopp 7 ran
1895 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Carrick owned by Mr Jersey and ridden by Mornington Cannon 7 ran
1896 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Utica owned by Leopold de Rothschild and ridden by Tom Loates 8 ran
1897 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Chasseur owned by J Ryan and ridden by Rickaby 9 ran
1898 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Gazetteer owned by Mr Jersey and ridden by C Wood 10 ran
1899 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Roughside owned by C A Brown and ridden by K Cannon 9 ran
1900 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Japonica owned by Lord Farquher and ridden by C Cannon 6 ran
1901 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Charivari, owned by the Duke of Portland and ridden by H Aylin 6 ran
1902 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Rathburne, owned by Lord Hamilton and ridden by G McCall 5 ran
1903 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Lucinda, owned by C Hibbert and ridden by Trigg 12 ran
1904 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Maisie II, owned by S Hill-Wood and ridden by B Dillon 7 ran
1905 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Donnetta, owned by Sir E Vincent and ridden by Danny Maher 12 ran
1906 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Chicot, owned by L de Rothschild and ridden by G McCall 5 ran
1907 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Menu, owned by Mr Joel and ridden by C Heckford 9 ran
1908 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Flying Ilma, owned by Captain F D Grissell and ridden by East 9 ran
1909 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Balnacoil, owned by C Bower-Ismay and ridden by Freddie Fox 9 ran
1910 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Columbus, owned by Major McLaughlin and ridden by Plant 8 ran
1911 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Anchora, owned by George Edwardes and ridden by Piper 6 ran
1912 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Winthorpe, owned by W R Wyndham and ridden by H Robbins 5 ran
1913 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Seremond, owned by Sir B Sheffield and ridden by Spear 5 ran
1914 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Aboukir, owned by Walter Raphael and ridden by Steve Donoghue 5 ran
1917 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Nellie Agrah, owned by T Nolan and ridden by T Leader 10 ran
1919 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Jutland, owned by HM The King and ridden by H Jones 5 ran
1920 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Polichinelle, trained by Pickering and ridden by H Wheatley 7 ran
1921 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Double Up, owned by A Barclay-Walker and ridden by Frank Bullock 6 ran
1922 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Herod Philip, owned by G Blackwell and ridden by Elliott 10 ran
1923 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Desire, owned by Mrs H Nugent and ridden by G Smith 7 ran
1924 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Cloudbank, owned by J White and ridden by Steve Donoghue 9 ran
1925 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Carcyrian, owned by S Wootton and ridden by Charlie Smirke 7 ran
1926 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Mint d’Or, owned by A S Ioanneau and ridden by Joe Dines 5 ran
1927 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Saturn, owned by S Wootton and ridden by Charlie Smirke 9 ran
1928 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Jugo, owned by T Richards and ridden by B Carslake 6 ran
1929 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Jugo, owned by T Richards and ridden by Kirk 5 ran
1930 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Norman Baron, owned by H Cottrill and ridden by W Alford 5 ran
1931 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Happy Mood, owned by Lady Rolli and ridden by J Sirett 8 ran
1932 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Chorist, owned by Captain Wills and ridden by F Rickaby 5 ran
1933 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Stop Gap, owned by Mr Halse and ridden by C Richards 6 ran
1934 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Venery, owned by J de Rothschild and ridden by Gordon Richards 11 ran
1935 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Corcyrian, owned by S Wootton and ridden by Charlie Smirke 7 ran
1936 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Bloater, owned by M Benson and ridden by M Beary 9 ran
1937 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Haulfryn, owned by Mr Monoprio and ridden by Gordon Richards 7 ran
1938 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Mendicant Friar, owned by Sir Abe Bailey and ridden by R A Jones 6 ran
1939 The Brighton Stakes over 1 ½ miles was won by Flying Spray, owned by Lt-Colonel Green ridden by G Littlewood 9 ran