Earliest meeting: Wednesday 19th June 1844
Final meeting: Wednesday 4th July 1849
The village of Welland, on the border with Shropshire, lies in Worcestershire and is situated about 10 kilometres from Malvern and 24 kilometres from Worcester. It is a beautiful part of the country with vast areas of open countryside, the Castlemorton Common and a sight of the Malvern Hills. Back in the middle of the 19th century the village had its own racecourse which first held races of note on Wednesday 19th June 1844. Races had been held in the village prior to this date, but they ceased in 1830. The 1844 meeting was the brainchild of Mr James Archer, landlord of The Pheasant, and the main Sweepstake attracted a field of 6 which was won by Mr Dan’s Fickle. The meeting was successful, welcoming people from Upton, Malvern and Worcester, and repeated on Welland Common in July 1845 under the watchful eye of James Archer. The Welland Stakes was won by Mr Careless’s Aurungzebe, and after racing had finished a ‘respectable party’ dined at The Pheasant Inn. Meetings followed for the next two years but, after a break of one year, the final meeting was held on Wednesday 4th July 1849, after which the Common was enclosed. The last Welland Stakes was won by Mr Pearce’s The Morsel who defeated Lahore and Ima, bringing an end to meetings in the village.
Wednesday 19th June 1844
Welland Stakes over once round
1. Fickle, bay gelding owned by Mr Dan
2. Uncle Toby, chestnut colt owned by Mr Ballinger
3. Maid of all Work, bay mare owned by Mr George
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.
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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
