Earliest meeting: Wednesday 22nd September 1807
Final meeting: Monday 5th September 1853
Sherborne is a Dorset market town on the River Yeo which boasts a Manor House, two independent schools and Sherborne Abbey. In the early part of the 19th century it began hosting race meetings known as the Sherborne Diversions, the first of which was a two day meeting on Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd September 1807 on Lenthay Green to the south west of the town. A handbill still remains advertising the meeting held on Tuesday 15th August 1809, while the next year a 2 day meeting was staged on Tuesday 31st July and Wednesday 1st August 1810, with results shown below. At the two day meeting in 1811 the Fifty pound Purse on day one was won by Bustard and after racing there was a genteel Ball. The Sporting Magazine began reporting results from the meetings on Tuesday 11th September 1838 when the Yeomanry Stakes was won by Black-and-all-Black for Mr Senior, while the Ladies Plate went to Blue Belle. Races continued for 15 more years until a final card took place on Monday 5th September 1853.
Tuesday 31st July 1810
Sherborne Cup
1. Carthagena, bay colt owned by Mr White Parson
4 ran
50 Guineas Match over 1 mile
1. Unnamed chestnut gelding owned by Captain Charitie
2. Unnamed roan mare owned by Mr Radcliffe
Wednesday 1st August 1810
13 Hands Pony Cup
1. Unnamed chestnut gelding owned by Captain Charitie
5 ran
12 Hands Pony Cup
1. Now or Never chestnut gelding owned by Mr Hatton
6 ran
Tuesday 6th August 1811
Sherborne £50 Purse
1. Bustard, brown horse owned by Mr Dilly
2. Speculation, brown horse owned by Mr Roper
3. Woodlark, chestnut horse owned by Mr William Call
4. Young Rapid, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Gratton
Tuesday 11th September 1838
Yeomanry Stakes over 2 miles
1. Black-and-all-Black owned by Mr Senior
2. Luck’s All owned by Mr Bunn
Sherborne Ladies Plate
1. Blue Belle owned by Mr Carlisle
Leweston Stakes over 2 miles
1. Luck’s All owned by Mr Bunn
2. Cat’s Paw owned by Mr Hopkins
3. Butterwick owned by Mr Whitmore
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the 1811 map shown below.
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
