BAGHDAD RACECOURSE
Racing is known to have taken place at Samarra on a number of racecourses hundreds of years ago, and archaelogical evidence confirms this. By the 1950's land in the Mansur area was transformed into a Turf Club with stables and Prince Abdulilah became its patron. The races run at the meeting were Plate races and Handicaps.
However, the badges displayed on this page show that Baghdad had a flourishing Race Club in the 1930's as well as the aforementioned 1950's.

 Baghad_1930.JPG (16626 bytes)Baghdad_1952.JPG (6541 bytes)

It is known that the racecourse was popular since the end of World War I being opened in 1917.

I am grateful to Vince Hinde for the rare scans of a Members badges, part of his magnificent collection:-

On the site of the old racecourse at Mansur Saddam Hussein attempted to build a mosque close to the Rahman mosque.
If you have badges, racecards, pictures of the racecourse or further details about the course, including your memories, then email johnwslusar@gmail.com