Earliest meeting: Monday 29th May 1780
Final meeting: Wednesday 6th May 1857
Tavistock, on the River Tavy, is a market town in West Devon which dates back to AD 961 when Tavistock Abbey was founded. The ruins of the Abbey are a focal point in the town centre today. In 1780 the town held its first race meeting on Whitchurch Down on Monday 29th May 1780 when a 4 mile Sweepstakes was won by Pistol, owned by Major O’Kelly, who beat Venus and Nonsuch. Meetings were held, on and off, for the next 77 years with the highlight each year being the Tavistock Gold Cup. At the 2 day meeting on Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th August 1824 the Gold Cup and important Tavistock Plate were won by an unnamed colt by Anticipation owned by Mr King. The 2 mile oval course was still on Whitchurch Down, a little hilly but the last three-quarters of a mile was straight and level. The final 2 day meeting was held on Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th May 1857 when the Tavistock Steeplechase was won by Mr Deacon’s Egbert. However, meetings continued to be held at the same course well into the 20th century, but were not under rules and contained pony races and Hunters point to point races.
Sir J Buller, Sir W Trelawny, Colonel Gilbert
Tuesday 17th August to Wednesday 18th August 1824
Tavistock Gold Cup over 2 miles
1. Unnamed filly by Anticipation owned by Mr King
2. Grasshopper owned by Mr Trelawney
3. Grimace owned by Mr Worth
Endsleigh Stakes over 2 miles
1. Viscount owned by Mr Crapp
2. Miss Warwick owned by Mr F S wallis
Tavistock Plate over 2 miles 1 furlong
1. Unnamed filly by Anticipation
2. Viscount owned by Mr Crapp
3. Eglantine owned by Mr Taunton
Tuesday 1st May 1838
Mount Tavy Stakes over 2 miles
1. Mustapha owned by Mr Taunton
2. Wrestler owned by Sir J Buller
3. Great O owned by Sir W Trelawny
James Whyte’s History of the British Turf records the May 1839 races as being run on an oval course of two miles circumference, a little hilly but the last ¾ of a mile straight and level.
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.
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The final meeting was held on Wednesday 6th May 1857.
As stated above, the final meeting entirely made up of thoroughbred racing was on Wednesday 6th May 1857, but after that date, and well into the start of the 20th century, meetings were still held on the Old Course at Whitchurch Down as evidenced by the racecard shown below courtesy of Michael Pihouse:-
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:-
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
