Earliest meeting: Thursday 6th October 1870
Final meeting: Friday 7th October 1870
The Hertfordshire hamlet of Tittenhanger lies just 3 miles east of St Albans, and even in the 1850s only contained 485 people. Despite having a limited number of residents to call upon, the hamlet did host its own two day race meeting on Thursday 6th and Friday 7th October 1870. The course, about 1 ½ miles from St Albans, was on the estate owned by Mr George Mather, the first day opening with the Welter Cup which saw Sally Sutton beat Mr L’Anson’s Wild Bee, while later in the day the Selling Hurdle went to Mr Trewent’s Royal Princess who got the better of Chilham and Kicksey Wicksey. On the Friday the Welter Plate had just 3 runners and was won by Brennus, while the Hertfordshire Open Steeplechase was won by Vivandiere who jumped beautifully to defeat the favourite Flyfisher. The meeting was not classed as a success, having small fields and running at a loss.
Thursday 6th October 1870
Tittenhanger Plate
1. Snowden, aged horse owned by Mr Skelton
2. Miss Thackeray, aged mare owned by Mr Sherrington
3. Actress, aged mare owned by Mr Jarvis
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.
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The only recorded meeting took place on Friday 7th October 1870.
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
