Earliest meeting: Tuesday 25th September 1866
Final meeting: Tuesday 3rd October 1871
The small North Somerset village of Worle enjoys a rich history having been mentioned in the Domesday Book. It is located close to the seaside resort of Weston Super Mare which held races between 1854 and 1859, while the first races held in Worle were in 1866. That inaugural meeting took place on Tuesday 25th September 1866 on the sands at Kewstone, with entries being made at The New Inn, Worle, and dinner served at the same venue after racing. Racing continued at Worle for the next 5 years, although the meeting on Wednesday 26th August 1868, and all subsequent meetings, were staged on Ebdon Farm in Worle owned by Mr Edward Jones. The meeting on Tuesday 31st August 1869 was a full and varied card with the Worle Stakes going to Little Fairy, the Weston Plate to Merry Peal, and the Challenge Purse to Lucana. The feature race was the Woodspring Handicap Cup which saw Mr H Brooke’s King of Trumps beat Bridesmaid and Trumpeter. The final meeting took place on Tuesday 3rd October 1871 when both the Weston Plate and Challenge Purse were captured by Mr Harwee with Devizes and Maid of Athens respectively. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr Edward Jones (Owner), Mr W Pethebridge and Mr W Bisdee (Stewards) |
| Principal Races |
Woodspring Handicap Cup, Worle Stakes, Weston Plate |
Tuesday 3rd October 1871
Woodspring Hunt Cup
1. Little Fairy, bay mare owned by Mr F S Young
2. Madame Doddie, chestnut mare owned by Mr E Day
3. Lady Max, bay mare owned by Mr F G Young |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 3rd October 1871. |
| Course today |
Initially on the sands at Kewstone and then on farmland owned by Mr Edward Jones at Ebdon Farm. |
| 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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