Earliest meeting: Friday 7th April 1854
Final meeting: Monday 10th April 1899
The first meeting organised by subscribers to the Southdown Foxhounds took place on the outskirts of Ringmer on Friday 7th April 1854. The 3 mile course was across natural country, taking a circular route with one or two made fences, but the majority were natural. The opening Sweepstake was won by Mr Adlington’s Welcome, defeating Tom and Colonel, while the final race of the day was for officers of two regiments stationed at Brighton, resulting in a win for The Novice owned by Mr Brown. Four years later the meeting was still held in Ringmer, but at Broye-Place Farm, on Saturday 20th March 1858 on a course of fair hunting ground and was so successful that meetings continued for a further 35 years. The principal races were the Southdown Hunt Cup and Sussex Plate. The day after the Southdown meeting on Wednesday 8th April 1874 a special event took place to celebrate the achievements of the Queen’s Bay Regiment. The opening Captains’ Cup was won by Captain Stuart-Menteth’s The Dun, while the Stapylton Cup went to Smiling Morn. However, the feature race, the Regimental Challenge Cup, was won by Change for Mr Lister-Kay. The Hunt moved on to host their race meetings at Lewes, but not until a final meeting at Ringmer on Monday 10th April 1899. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Earl of March, Viscount Gage, Lord Nevil |
| Principal Races |
Southdown Hunt Cup, Sussex Plate, Ringmer Chase |
Friday 7th April 1854
Southdown Regimental Sweepstake
1. The Novice, grey mare owned by Mr Brown
2. Autumn, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Adlington
3. Heels, bay gelding owned by Mr Firman |
The final meeting took place on Monday 10th April 1899. |
| Course today |
At Broye-Place Farm in Ringmer. |
| 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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