Earliest meeting: Friday 29th December 1848
Final meeting: Friday 29th December 1848
The Somerset seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare lies on the Bristol Channel some 18 miles from Bristol. It is known that there was an Iron Age settlement nearby, but the town only started to grow in the 19th century with the coming of the railway. The town was the setting for a race meeting organised by the local Somerset Hunt on Friday 29th December 1848 over a 4 mile course located a mile from the town. The course started on a rough piece of grass land and began with a blind ditch with a huge rail in the middle. The course had to be extended because one farmer would not allow his field to be used, so a diversion was made to a second stubble field where the runners faced ‘The Rhine’. This formidable obstacle consisted of a 12 foot expanse of water preceeded by a downhill jump and a flight of hurdles leaning over the water. After reaching half way the runners turned round a flag pole and completed the 4 mile course which contained 40 fences in total. The night before, at the Reeves Hotel, betting took place and Justice to England was made the 2/1 favourite, with 4/1 offered about Sauterne and Gulmare, and 5/1 bar the three. The race was won by the favourite, who got the better of Sauterne close to home. After racing, an Ordinary was enjoyed at the Reeves Hotel and subscriptions made for a race the following year, but there is no evidence such a race took place. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr Cartwright, Mr Tollett, Mr Pinnegar |
| Principal Races |
Somerset Hunt Sweepstake |
Friday 29th December 1848
Somerset Hunt Sweepstake over 4 miles
1. Justice to England, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Cartwright
2. Sauterne, bay gelding owned by Mr Tollett
3. Egremont, bay gelding owned by Mr Davis
4. Harry Hieover, bay gelding owned by Mr Pinnegar
5. Solace, chestnut mare owned by Mr Swan
6. Gulmare, brown mare owned by Mr Robinson |
The only recorded meeting took place on Friday 29th December 1848. |
| Course today |
A four mile course with 40 fences starting a mile from Weston-super-Mare. |
| 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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