Earliest meeting: Friday 3rd March 1865
Final meeting: Tuesday 6th June 1876
West Drayton is an old town which was formerly in Middlesex but is now part of the Greater London Borough of Hillingdon. It is steeped in history and was recorded in the Domesday book of 1086. It first held races on Friday 3rd March 1865 when the card opened with the Stand Plate which went to Princess Dagmar, and continued to race successfully for an unbroken spell of 11 years. The course was situated in close proximity to the Great Western Railway station, and that company had made every effort to boost the crowd by providing special excursions with return fares offered at single prices. In 1866 two meetings were organised; a two day May meeting when the Village Plate was won by Mr Lapidist’s The Vampire, while the Handicap hurdle was secured by Mr Davenport’s Robin Adair; and an Autumn meeting staged on Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th August when the Colne Handicap was won by Mr Rickard’s Opposition. The final two day meeting took place on Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th June 1876, but the card suffered from small fields and was unattractive for punters.

Lord Poulett, Captain Sheedy, Captain H F Morgan, Colonel Jeff Sharp

Monday 21st & Tuesday 22nd May 1866

West Drayton Village Plate over a mile
1. The Vampire owned by Mr Lapidist
2. Comet owned by Mr C Grimshaw
3. Grapeshot owned by Mr D H Johnstone

West Drayton Handicap Hurdle over 2 miles and 6 hurdles
1. Robin Adair owned by Mr Davenport
2. Ace of Hearts owned by Lord Poulett
3. Love Letter owned by Mr W S Halford

The West Drayton Handicap over 1 ½ miles
1. Grapeshot owned by Mr D H Johnstone
2. Love Letter owned by Mr W S Halford
3. Hurrah owned by Mr Clifford

The Viking Plate over 5 furlongs
1. Hop-Leaf owned by Mr T Ballard
2. Newnham owned by Mr Partner
3. Chicken Hazard owned by Captain H F Morgan

The Colne Handicap over a mile
1. Opposition owned by Mr Rickards
2. Pinchbeck owned by Mr G Newton
3. Wildair owned by Captain H F Morgan

The Cowley Plate over 4 furlongs
1. Newnham owned by Mr Partner
2. Chicken Hazard owned by Captain H F Morgan
3. Nursery Girl owned by Mr Glenie

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