Earliest meeting: Tuesday 26th December 1848
Final meeting: Tuesday 26th December 1848
The Buckinghamshire market town of Wendover lies in the Aylesbury Vale district of the county, at the base of the Chiltern Hills. The town has a long history dating back well before the 5th century and, even more famously, was once owned by Anne Boleyn. In the middle of the 19th century the town held its own race meeting on Tuesday 26th December 1848. The meeting was a Match for 50 Sovereigns per side between Mr Hall and Mr Baker over 4 miles of fair hunting ground. The course was arranged by Mr J L Manning on his farm, and started in a meadow near his farm house. Mr Hall’s The Mummy jumped off first and after both horses negotiated the first fence successfully they proceeded towards a gate. Unfortunately a boy opened the gate as the runners approached, although it was to have been taken, causing Mr Hall’s horse to swerve and Mr Baker’s horse to refuse. This would have automatically disqualified Mr Baker’s horse had he gone on to win the race. In the event he was totally outclassed and The Mummy led throughout and, after crossing the Risborough Road, ran on to the final flag in the long meadow to gain an easy success. Racing continued in the area well into the 20th century with point to point races at Kimble. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr J L Manning, Mr Hall, Mr Baker |
| Principal Races |
Wendover 4 mile Match |
Tuesday 26th December 1848
Wendover 4 mile Match W21
1. The Mummy, aged mare owned by Mr Hall
2. Unnamed aged horse owned by Mr Baker |
The only recorded meeting took place on Tuesday 26th December 1848. |
| Course today |
A 4 mile hunting course on a farm owned by Mr J L Manning. |
| 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 johnwslusar@gmail.com |
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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