The earliest record of racing in Wincanton was advertised as the ‘newest meeting’ in Bell’s Life and the Sporting Chronicle and took place on Thursday 25th August 1870 when Mr J Fry acted as Clerk of the Course, H Waters was judge and Mr C Symes was the starter. The meeting was held in a field at Hatherleigh, about a mile from the town centre, and results were published in the Western Times. The meeting opened with the Hatherleigh Stakes over 2 miles which was won by Mr J Card’s bay filly Edna, ridden by Mr H M Rudd, winning by a length from Robert Laundrie and Duchess. The Blackmore Vale Hurdle over 2 ½ miles followed and saw Mr W D Tabor’s Brown Slug get the better of Jassy, also owned by Mr Tabor, with Bonnie Katie in third. The later Wincanton Stakes went to Deh Con Te owned by Mr J Evans. More widely advertised meetings followed in 1871 and 1872, with results from the meeting on Thursday 29th August 1872 shown below. Meetings moved towards the current course on Saturday 28th February 1891 when a point to point meeting was staged on the old course south-east of Anchor Hill at Hatherleigh Farm. Two years later the Wincanton Hunt Steeplechase Committee was formed, with a meeting held on Easter Monday 1893 when the Cheriton Stakes was won by Princess, ridden by J. Martin Richards, the Grandfather of Sir Gordon Richards. However, the first meeting organised by the newly formed Committee to take place on Hatherleigh Farm was on Wednesday 3rd April 1895, although at this stage the prize money was very small. Just before the War began the company running the course today, Wincanton Races Co. Ltd, was formed, but the War held up their progress, racing ceasing between 1914 and 1919. The first meeting after the War took place in 1920 when prize money started to increase. The Secretary of the Wincanton Race Company was Reginald Hutchings, who had his offices in Church Street, and the Chairman was Lord Stalbridge. The lease on Hatherleigh Farm ran out in 1925 so racing ceased at that venue while an alternative was sought. Shortly afterwards Kingwell Farm, its current home, was purchased. The first meeting to take place on the Kingwell Farm course was on Thursday 18th August 1927. The course had been bought by the Wincanton Race Company after being persuaded to do so by Hugh Grosvenor, formerly a 14th Hussar during the War. Racing ceased during the Second World War during which time the course was used by the military. The owner of the farm, Lord Stalbridge became ill and decided to sell the farm, threatening the very future of racing in the town. A committee of local farmers and businessmen, 11 purchasers accessing 12 shares, bought Kingwell Farm in 1945 and the October meeting was the first to be held after the War. Eldon & Richard Hunt, grandfather and father respectively of Mrs Carolyn Staunton, were the majority shareholders in the syndicate which bought the racecourse in 1945. The syndicate had to be hastily formed to complete the purchase, so Eldon Hunt had to buy two shares in a desperate last-minute measure to complete the sale. Eldon, and his son Dick, were farmers in Dorset, while another shareholder, Harry Dufosee farmed on Lord Stalbridge's estate. Dick Hunt continued to be a director and steward at Wincanton until his age precluded such posts and was subsequently 'The Patron' of the racecourse until his death in 2008. The Jockey Club kindly named an annual race 'The Dick Hunt Chase' in 2014, and it continues to this day. Indeed, the Owners & Trainers facility at Wincanton still bears Dick's name. In 1966 the Racecourse Holdings Trust purchased the racecourse and its future was secure. Currently the course hosts 7 fixtures annually.
Thursday 25th August 1870
Hatherleigh Stakes over 2 miles
1. Edna, bay filly owned by Mr J Card and ridden by Mr H M Rudd
2. Robert Laundrie, 4 year old owned by Mr G Clement and ridden by Huntley
3. Duchess, bay mare owned by Mr Antell and ridden by Harding
The large, popular Dorset coastal resort of Bournemouth first held races in 1925 on a racecourse situated just over 3 miles from the town centre at Ensbury Park, which had previously been an airfield. An initial Committee meeting, as early as 29th June 1921, proposed developing a racecourse on the site but this application, along with a further one the next year, was rejected by Bournemouth Council. However, they eventually gave their approval on Wednesday 2nd August 1922 and the Ensbury Park Racecourse Company set to work on turning their dream into a reality. Their plans were ambitious in the extreme, proposing a Covered Club Stand, a Members Stand, a covered Tattersall’s Stand and car parking for at least 2000 cars. It took the shape of a figure eight course extending to two miles and held its first two day meeting on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th April 1925. Three later meetings followed in the first year in September, November and December. It came as a surprise that prize money was reduced in 1926, and further reduced in 1927. When prize money dropped still further in 1928 the quality of racing decreased, as did the crowd size, leading to a final meeting on Wednesday 11th April 1928. In the end the project was too ambitious and the land eventually was sold for development.
Saturday 18th April 1925
Shaftesbury Handicap Steeple Chase of £250
1. St Bernard ridden by W Speck
2. The Sheriff ridden by G Turner
3. Navana ridden by Mr R Pulford
The principal races are the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle and the Listed Badger Ales Trophy. The Kingwell Hurdle over 2 miles is contested each February and was first run in 1971 when the Fred Winter trained Bula, ridden by Richard Pitman, was successful. The Badger Ales Trophy is contested each November over 3 miles 1 ½ furlongs and was first run in 1962 when won by Quick Step II, trained and ridden by W R Williams. A full list of winners of both races is shown below.
1962 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Quick Step II, trained and ridden by W R Williams
1963 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Beau Normand, trained by Bob Turnell and ridden by Jeff King
1964 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Sign Post, trained by Mr L W Stokes and ridden by Owen McNally
1965 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Dellanist, trained by Earl Jones and ridden by Jimmy Fitzgerald
1966 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Highland Wedding, trained by Toby Balding and ridden by Willie Robinson
1967 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Dozo, trained by Toby Balding and ridden by Owen McNally
1968 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Fearless Fred, trained by Fred Rimell and ridden by Terry Biddlecombe
1969 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Teryrose, trained by H W Payne and ridden by Graham Thorner
1970 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Nova Light, trained by Les Kennard and ridden by Mr R Smith
1971 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Just The Job, trained by David Gandolfo and ridden by Graham Thorner
1971 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Bula, trained by Fred Winter and ridden by Richard Pitman
1972 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Nova Light, trained by Les Kennard and ridden by Mr R Smith
1972 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Bula, trained by Fred Winter and ridden by Paul Kelleway
1973 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Land Lark, trained by Mr T E Pocock and ridden by Bob Champion
1973 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Bula, trained by Fred Winter and ridden by Paul Kelleway
1974 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Royal Marshall II, trained by Tim Forster and ridden by Graham Thorner
1974 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Lanzarote, trained by Fred Winter and ridden by Richard Pitman
1975 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Somethings Missing, trained by David Barons and ridden by S May
1975 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Lanzarote, trained by Fred Winter and ridden by Richard Pitman
1976 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Zeta’s Son, trained by P G Bailey and ridden by Ron Barry
1976 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Lanzarote, trained by Fred Winter and ridden by John Francome
1977 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Bit of Manny, trained by Miss S O Morris and ridden by E Wright
1977 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Dramatist, trained by Fulke Walwyn and ridden by Bill Smith
1978 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Kininvie, trained by Mr A Dunn and ridden by Philip Hobbs
1978 The Kingwell Hurdle was not held due to snow
1979 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Chuckles Hansel, trained by David Barons and ridden by Paul Leach
1979 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Western Rose, trained by Fred Rimell and ridden by Colin Tinkler
1980 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Henry Kissinger, trained by David Gandolfo and ridden by Paul Barton
1980 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Random Leg, trained by Josh Gifford and ridden by Richard Rowe
1981 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Rathconrath, trained by Fred Winter and ridden by John Francome
1981 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Jugador, trained by Derek Kent and ridden by Peter Haynes
1982 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Celtic Isle, trained by Mercy Rimell and ridden by Sam Morshead
1982 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Walnut Wonder, trained by David Elsworth and ridden by Colin Brown
1983 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Half Free, trained by Fred Winter and ridden by Richard Linley
1983 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Migrator, trained by Les Kennard and ridden by Richard Linley
1984 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Beau Ranger, trained by John Thorne and ridden by J Hurst
1984 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Desert Orchid, trained by David Elsworth and ridden by Colin Brown
1985 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Oyster Pond, trained by Matt McCourt and ridden by Graham McCourt
1985 The Kingwell Hurdle was not contested due to snow
1986 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Von Trappe, trained by Jenny Pitman and ridden by Ben de Haan
1986 The Kingwell Hurdle was not contested due to frost
1987 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Sun Rising, trained by Fulke Walwyn and ridden by Kevin Mooney
1987 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Hypnosis, trained by David Elsworth and ridden by Peter Scudamore
1988 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Farmlea Boy, trained by Toby Balding and ridden by Richard Guest
1988 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Floyd, trained by David Elsworth and ridden by Colin Brown
1989 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Tonights The Night, trained by Oliver Sherwood and ridden by Jamie Osborne
1989 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Floyd, trained by David Elsworth and ridden by Richard Dunwoody
1990 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Panto Prince, trained by Chris Popham and ridden by Brendan Powell snr
1990 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Kribensis, trained by Michael Stoute and ridden by Richard Dunwoody
1991 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Foyle Fisherman, trained by Josh Gifford and ridden by Eamon Murphy
1991 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Welsh Bard, trained by Charlie Brooks and ridden by Peter Scudamore
1992 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Captain Dibble, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and ridden by Carl Llewellyn
1992 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Fidway, trained by Tim Thomson Jones and ridden by Peter Scudamore
1993 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Panto Prince, trained by Chris Popham and ridden by Brendan Powell snr
1993 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Valfinet, trained by Martin Pipe and ridden by Peter Scudamore
1994 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Lusty Light, trained by Jenny Pitman and ridden by Warren Marston
1994 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Valfinet, trained by Martin Pipe and ridden by Richard Dunwoody
1995 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Tug of Peace, trained by Toby Balding and ridden by Barney Clifford
1995 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Alderbrook, trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by Norman Williamson
1996 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Coome Hill, trained by Walter Dennis and ridden by Jimmy Frost
1996 The Kingwell Hurdle was not contested due to frost and snow
1997 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Lively Knight, trained by Josh Gifford and ridden by Leighton Aspell
1997 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Dreams End, trained by Peter Bowen and ridden by Richard Dunwoody
1998 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Teeton Mill, trained by Venetia Williams and ridden by Norman Williamson
1998 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by I’m Supposin, trained by Richard Rowe and ridden by Richard Dunwoody
1999 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Flaked Oats, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Robert Widger
1999 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Grey Shot, trained by Ian Balding and ridden by Jamie Osborne
2000 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Flaked Oats, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Timmy Murphy
2000 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Hors La Loi III, trained by Francois Doumen and ridden by Dean Gallagher
2001 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Montifault, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Timmy Murphy
2001 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Azertyuiop, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Adrian Maguire
2002 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Swansea Bay, trained by Peter Bowen and ridden by Andrew Thornton
2002 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Hors La Loi III, trained by James Fanshawe and ridden by Dean Gallagher
2003 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Swansea Bay, trained by Peter Bowen and ridden by Andrew Thornton
2003 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Rhinestone Cowby, trained by Jonjo O’Neill and ridden by Norman Williamson
2004 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Royal Auclair, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Christian Williams
2004 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Rigmarole, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Ruby Walsh
2005 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Iris Bleu, trained by Martin Pipe and ridden by Timmy Murphy
2005 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Inglis Drever, trained by Howard Johnson and ridden by Tony McCoy
2006 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Parsons Legacy, trained by Philip Hobbs and ridden by Richard Johnson
2006 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Briareus, trained by Andrew Balding and ridden by Mr Tom Greenall
2007 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Abragante, trained by David Pipe and ridden by Timmy Murphy
2007 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Straw Bear, trained by Nick Gifford and ridden by Tony McCoy
2008 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Cornish Sett, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Nick Schofield
2008 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Katchit, trained by Alan King and ridden by Robert Thornton
2009 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Ellerslie George, trained by Nick Mitchell and ridden by Mr Robbie Henderson
2009 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Ashkazar, trained by David Pipe and ridden by Timmy Murphy
2010 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Meanus Dandy, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Ian Popham
2010 The Kingwell Hurdle was not contested due to frost
2011 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by The Minack, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Daryl Jacob
2011 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Mille Chief, trained by Alan King and ridden by Robert Thornton
2012 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by The Package, trained by David Pipe and ridden by Timmy Murphy
2012 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Binocular, trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Tony McCoy
2013 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Standing Ovation, trained by David Pipe and ridden by Conor O’Farrell
2013 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Zarkandar, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Daryl Jacob
2014 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Court By Surprise, trained by Emma Lavelle and ridden by Daryl Jacob
2014 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Melodic Rendezvous, trained by Jeremy Scott and ridden by Nick Schofield
2015 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Drop Out Joe, trained by Charlie Longsdon and ridden by Aidan Coleman
2015 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Blue Heron, trained by Dan Skelton and ridden by Harry Skelton
2016 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Gentleman Jon, trained by Colin Tizzard and ridden by Tom O’Brien
2016 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Rayvin Black, trained by Oliver Sherwood and ridden by Tom Garner
2017 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Yanworth, trained by Alan King and ridden by Barry Geraghty
2017 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Present Man, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Bryony Frost
2018 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Present Man, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Bryony Frost
2018 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Elgin, trained by Wayne Hutchinson and ridden by Alan King
2019 The Kingwell Hurdle was won by Grand Sancy, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Harry Skelton
2019 The Badger Ales Trophy was won by Give Me a Copper, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Harry Cobden
DICK HUNT CHASE WINNERS
Thursday 30th January 2014
Dick Hunt Chase over 2m 5f
1. BENNY'S MIST (9/4) trained by Miss Venetia Williams and ridden by Aidan Coleman
2. ROUGE ET BLANC (11/1) trained by Oliver Sherwood and ridden by Thomas Carver
3. CARRICKBOY (16/1) trained by Miss Venetia Williams and ridden by Liam Treadwell
Thursday 29th January 2015
Dick Hunt Chase over 2m 4f 110yds
1. SAINT RALPH (6/1) trained by Robert Walford and ridden by Felix de Giles
2. TOLKEINS TANGO (10/1) trained by Vic Dartnall and ridden by Jack Doyle
3. SIMPLY WINGS (7/1) trained by R Lee and ridden by M G Nolan
Thursday 4th February 2016
Dick Hunt Chase over 2m 4f 35yds
1. AS DE FER (9/4) trained by Anthony J Honeyball and ridden by David Noonan
2. QUITE BY CHANCE (4/1) trained by Colin Tizzard and ridden by Paul O’Brien
3. GORES ISLAND (6/1) trained by Gary Moore and ridden by Joshua Moore
Thursday 2nd February 2017
Dick Hunt Chase over 2m 4f 35yds
1. DUSKY LARK (12/1) trained by Robert Walford and ridden by James Best
2. VIC DE TOUZAINE (5/1) trained by Miss Venetia Williams and ridden by Tom Scudamore
3. PILGRIMS BAY (7/1) trained by Neil Mulholland and ridden by Nick Schofield
Thursday 1st February 2018
Dick Hunt Chase over 3m 1f 30yds
1. GRAND VISION (6/1) trained by Colin Tizzard and ridden by Harry Cobden
2. KAYF ADVENTURE (9/4 fav) trained by Philip Hobbs and ridden by Richard Johnson
3. SIRUH DU LAC (5/2) trained by Lizzie Kelly and ridden by Nick Williams
Thursday 31st January 2019
Dick Hunt Chase did not take place as the meeting was abandoned
Thursday 30th January 2020
Dick Hunt Chase (run as Unique Financial Planning Chase) over 3m 1f 30yds
1. WORTHY FARM (3/1 jt fav) trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Harry Cobden
2. THE KINGS WRIT 14/1) trained by Kayley Woolacott and ridden by Mr Joshua Newman
3. MOVING IN STYLE(3/1 jt fav) trained by Robert Walford and ridden by James Bowen
Thursday 4th February 2021
Dick Hunt Chase over 3m 1f 30yds
1. TIME TO GET UP (10/1) trained by Jonjo O'Neill and ridden by Jonjo O'Neill jnr
2. SHANTY ALLEY (8/1) trained by B Case and ridden by Bryan Carver
3. BALLYCROSS (11/1) trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Nico de Boinville
