Earliest meeting: 1684
Final meeting: Thursday 11th April 1929
The earliest record of racing in the Buckinghamshire town of Aylesbury was when entries were made at the George Inn in the town for the 1684 races which took place on Quainton Meadow. By the mid 1700s the meeting had moved to Haydon Hill, on the outskirts of the town, with a meeting taking place in August 1754. Flat racing continued on and off in the town until the final Flat meeting on 27th August 1819. Once Flat racing came to an end it was some 15 years before racing of a different kind started. The earliest record of National Hunt racing took place under the direction of the Vale of Aylesbury National Hunt Committee in 1834. The meeting was quaintly known as the ‘Aylesbury Aristocratic Steeplechases’ and was held on the outskirts of the town close to Hartwell Park. The principal race was the Aylesbury Steeplechase and its inaugural running in 1835 was won by Vivian ridden by the infamous Captain Becher. The National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup, over 4 miles and 24 fences, is now contested at the annual Cheltenham Festival in March, but in 1874 it was held on the Long Meadow at Aylesbury when the winner was Lucellum ridden by Captain Arthur Smith and owned by Mr Vyner. After the 1914 meeting there was a break during the First World War, and racing did not return to the town until 1923. The new course, on which the remainder of meetings took place, was on the Oxford Road with racing continuing for a further 6 years until the final meeting on Thursday 11th April 1929.

Duke of Wharton, Duke of Monmouth, Captain Arthur Smith, Captain Hoare

Aylesbury Steeplechase, Aylesbury Open Handicap Steeplechase, Aylesbury Farmers Chase, Waddesdon Chase

Wednesday 18th & Thursday 19th September 1782

Aylesbury Town Plate over 3 miles
1. Slender owned by Mr Tombs
2. Simpleton owned by Mr Tate
3. True Blue owned by Mr Lee

Aylesbury Gentlemens’ Purse over 4 miles
1. Slender owned by Mr Tombs
2. Staring Tom owned by Mr Grisby
3. Medley owned by Mr Warn

Thursday 5th April 1928
Mentmore Steeplechase over 2 ½ miles
1. Iron Mask, aged horse owned by Mr E R Wilks
2. Tangerina, aged horse owned by Captain R H Eden
3. Caltrop, aged horse owned by Captain McDougal

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

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