Earliest meeting: Thursday 29th September 1825
Final meeting: Monday 14th September 1868
Breconshire Racecourse was situated by the side of the River Usk, just on the outskirts of the town of Brecon. There is evidence of racing taking place throughout the period 1825 to 1868, although mysteriously the Racing Calendar does not record racing in 1851. The inaugural two day meeting was held on Thursday 29th and Friday 30th September 1825 when the opening Free Plate was won by Mr Pryse’s Doctor Eady. The next race was restricted to gentlemen resident in the Principality or Monmouth or Hereford, and saw Mr J H Powell’s Sweetbriar beat Wisp. A second Free Plate was staged the next day when Captain Davies’s Mima beat the wonderfully named Ynysymaengwyn. Meetings continued to be organised annually and at the two day event on Wednesday 29th and Thursday 30th September 1839 the Ladies of Breconshire sponsored a 2 mile race, the Ladies Plate, when ‘a splendid Silver Tea Service’ was won by Mr Walmsley’s Catamaran beating Bay Hampton and The Nile. Both the Usk Stakes, over a mile and three quarters, and the one mile County Stakes were won by Captain Fendall’s Nell. The card on the second day was more varied, consisting of Hack, Hurdle and Pony races. By the 1860s the meetings were supported by prominent turf dignitaries, including His Grace the Duke of Beaufort. The ‘neat, compact and commodious stand’ was erected specifically for Lord Tredegar and his entourage, while Lord Uxbridge also entertained a large party. The racing was not as widely reported as in previous years, although the Breconshire Stakes went to Doncaster; the Beaufort Stakes to Lady Williams, and the Usk Stakes to Fast Runner. It was noticeable that fields were significantly depleted, with a maximum of three contesting each race. After racing an Ordinary, attended by an immense group of gentlemen, was held at the Castle Hotel in Tredegar. In 1866 the Stewards Cup was won by Gomera, owned by the Duke of Beaufort, but within 2 years the course had closed, staging its final meeting on Monday 14th September 1868. The famous jockey Geoff Lewis was born in Brecon close to the former racecourse.
Wednesday 28th & Thursday 29th SEPTEMBER 1836
The South Wales Produce Stakes took place on Wednesday 28th September over 2 miles for 3 year olds. The result was:-
1. MANTUA 7st 13lb Owned by Captain B Davies
2. MOMUS 8st 2lb Owned by Captain B Davies
3. BARNACLES 8st 7lb Owned by Mr Andrew
Also at the Wednesday 28th September meeting the records show that 2 further races took place, the Usk Stakes and The Ladies Plate with the following result:-LADIES PLATE
1. CHANGELING 9st 5lb Owned by Mr J H Peel
2. LATONA 9st 5lb Owned by Mr Davis
3. CALIPH 8st 13lb Owned by Captain Pettat
The meeting extended to a second day on Thursday 29th September and included a Hurdle Stakes, Members' Plate, County Stakes, Welter Stakes and the Breconshire Stakes. The Breconshire Stakes
1. THE SCHOOLMASTER 5 years old 8st 2lb Owned by Mr Smythie
2. CHANGELING 6 years old 9st 0lb Owned by Mr J H Peel
3. DESPERATE 4 years old 7st 6lb Owned by Mr Reeves
In 1866 the Stewards Cup took place and was won by Gomera who was owned by the Duke of Beaufort. I am indebted to Colin James for the scan of the Stewards Cup.
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
