Earliest meeting: Tuesday 10th September 1776
Final meeting: Wednesday 13th August 1828
The Cornwall city of Truro had a racecourse for two short spells in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Today it is the Cornish centre for tourism, leisure and administration, but in its past history it held its first race meeting on Tuesday 10th September 1776 when the 2 mile Plate was won by Penhellick for Mr McCarmick, and the later Hunters Plate by Cockspur for Mr Peters. Such was the success of the meeting that a second meeting was staged the next year on Tuesday 5th August 1777 when the Give and Take Handicap went to Mr Luttrell’s Sethona. It was to be nearly 50 years before the next meeting was held on Tuesday 5th October 1824 on fields 2 miles from Truro on the Bodmin road. Racing continued annually for the next 5 years, and at the two day meeting on Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th September 1826 the £50 Plate was won by Mr C Trelawny’s Fox who beat The Nun and Try for It. After racing, the gentlemen attended a dinner at Pearce’s Hotel followed by a concert in the Assembly Rooms. On Tuesday 30th August 1825 the Truro Silver Cup was won by Mr Darnell’s Silver Kitty, and the Yeomanry Cup by Dartmore. The final meeting took place on Wednesday 13th August 1828. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Sir Christopher Treise, Captain Reynolds & Captain Carthew (Stewards) |
| Principal Races |
Truro Silver Cup, Truro Yeomanry Cup |
Tuesday 30th August 1825
Yeomanry Cup over 2 miles
1. Dartmore, bay gelding owned by Sergeant Collins
2. Whitefoot, bay gelding owned by Mr James Tozer
3. Killigrew, bay gelding owned by Mr Parkes |
| The final meeting took place on Wednesday 13th August 1828. |
| Course today |
In fields 2 miles from Truro on the Bodmin Road. |
| 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 johnslusar@fsmail.net |
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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