PORTLAND MEADOWS RACECOURSE

Aintree racecourse;Ascot;Ayr;Bangor;Bath;Beverley;Brighton;Carlisle;Cartmel;Catterick;Cheltenham Festival;Chepstow;Chester;Doncaster St Leger;Epsom Derby;Exeter racecourse;Fakenham;Folkestone;Fontwell Park;Glorious Goodwood;Hamilton Park;Haydock Park;Hereford Racecourse;Hexham;Huntingdon;Kelso;Kempton Park;Leicester;Lingfield;Ludlow;Market Rasen;Musselburgh;Newbury Racecourse;Newcastle;Newmarket;Newton Abbot;Nottingham;Perth;Plumpton;Pontefract Racecourse;Redcar;Ripon;Salisbury;Sandown Park;Sedgefield;Southwell;Stratford;Taunton;Thirsk;Towcester;Uttoxeter;Warwick;Wetherby;Wincanton;Windsor;Wolverhampton;Worcester;Yarmouth;York Ebor

The racecourse at Portland Meadows was constructed throughout 1945, starting in November and was opened for its first meeting on 14th September 1946. Development of the course was directed by William Kyne and he was rewarded at that first meeting with a crowd in excess of 10000. Today the 8 furlong oval dirt track, with separate 6 furlong and 10 furlong chutes, share a home straight of 302 metres. The racecourse is famous for being the first to hold a floodlit night meeting in 1946, so revolutionising racing. A natural disaster occurred in 1948 which closed the racecourse when the Vanport River flooded leaving the track waterlogged and its buildings destroyed. The track had to close again in 1970 when a fire on 25th April saw the grandstand destroyed. A rebuilding programme took shape quickly and the course had reopened by 1971, welcoming over 12,500 people to the relaunch. The principal race at the meeting was the Coors Portland Meadows Mile run and won in 1987 by Present Value ridden by no less a pilot than Bill Shoemaker.

Local Patrons William Kyne, Portland Meadows Race Club
Principal Races Coors Portland Meadows Mile
Course today The racecourse continues to operate very successfully.
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

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.
ORDER FORM
Download an order form
  Quantity Cost
Volume 1 North of Hatfield £19.99 + £4 postage    
Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage    
Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage    
Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage    
Volumes 1 - 4 £54.96 + £5 postage    
Postage & Packaging    
Total    
Email order form to johnwslusar@gmail.com