Taunton Racecourse History

The earliest indication of racing in the Somerset town of Taunton was a two day Flat meeting on Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th August 1802, with full results shown below. Prior to this racing had taken place at nearby Broomhay, West Monkton in 1788. It was then nine more years before the next record exists of a meeting on Tuesday 6th August 1811 when the Taunton Cup was won by Sir W Call's chestnut horse Woodlark and the All-Aged Members Plate by Mr Dilly's bay horse Bustard. This was followed by a two day meeeting the next year, complete with Ordinaries and a Race Ball, for which results are shown below, although racing lapsed after that meeting. A 'reintroduction' committee meeting, under the direction of Mr J E White, was held in 1824 planning to re-established Taunton races in 1825 at a course on the Mountlands area off the Shoreditch road, continuing for a short spell until 1838. The final meeting at Mountlands had to be abandoned due to heavy rain, but within 2 years the meeting had transferred to Trull Moor, where racing continued until 1855. Moving forward almost a century, in 1926 a Racecourse Company was formed by Viscount Portman with a view to developing a racecourse on his Orchard Great Field country estate and a year later, on Wednesday 21st September 1927, Taunton held its inaugural meeting under National Hunt rules. The opening race was the Shoreditch Selling Hurdle which was won in convincing style by Baalbek owned by Mr Rayson. In 1959, expecting a visit from the Queen Mother, a Royal Box was constructed, but in the end it was not required because the Queen Mother was taken ill and had to cancel her appointment. All ended well as she got the chance to take her position in the Royal Box at the 1962 meeting. In 1969 a new grandstand was completed at a cost of just £43,000, while six years later the Motorway Selling Hurdle was won by Hit Parade, trained by Martin Pipe, and whilst not remarkable in isolation, it was the first winner of an illustrious career in which he trained a further 4190 winners. Currently the course hosts 14 fixtures annually.

After the 1802 meeting a further meeting was held in 1811, and again on Thursday 6th and Friday 7th August 1812.

Racing lapsed for 12 years before a committee meeting was reconvened in 1824 with the main aim of re-introducing Taunton races in 1825.

Taunton continues to thrive today, whereas nearby Bridgwater closed its gates for the final time in 1929.

Bridgwater is a Somerset market town on the edge of the Somerset Levels and first staged racing on the Bridgwater and West Somerset course from Tuesday 19th to Thursday 21st August 1755. The early course was on Chilton Common close to the river near Chilton Trinity, a mile in circumference and containing a mound in the centre which acted as a natural viewing point. Racing continued intermittently, but when Taunton Races ceased in 1813, Bridgwater inherited the races and the meeting flourished for 21 years until 1834. Flat racing in the town came to an end on 8th September 1868 and the town saw no more racing until a brief revival on Friday 13th May 1898. For a short period National Hunt racing switched to the course at Fairfield, but racing finally ceased in 1929.

Thursday 21st August 1755
Bridgwater Hunters Purse
1. Sulkey Jack owned by Mr Hanning
2. Country Lass owned by Mr Brooks
3. Foxhunter owned by Mr Binford

I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.
1970 Gents 1971 Gents 1972 Gents 1973 Gents 1973 Ladies

The rare handbill shown below is provided courtesy of the Robert Shaw collection.

Taunton 1981.JPG (16681 bytes)
1983 Gents 1984 Gents 1985 Gents 1985 Ladies 1986 Gents
1986 Ladies 1987 Gents 1988 Ladies 1988 Gents 1989 Gents
1990 Gents 1991 Gents 1991 Ladies 1992 Ladies 1992 Gents
1993 Ladies 1993 Gents 1994 Ladies 1994 Gents 1995 Gents
1996 Gents 1996 Ladies 1997 Gents 1998 Gents 1998 Ladies
1999 Ladies 2000 Ladies 2000 Gents 2001 Ladies 2001 Gents
2002 Ladies 2002 Gents 2003 Ladies 2003 Gents 2004 Ladies
2004 Gents 2005 Ladies 2005 Gents 2006 Ladies 2006 Gents
2007 Ladies 2007 Gents 2008 Ladies 2009 Gents 2009 Ladies
2010 Gents 2011 Ladies 2011 Gents 2012 Ladies 2012 Gents
2013 Ladies 2013 Gents 2014 Ladies 2014 Gents 2015 Ladies
2015 Gents 2016 Gents 2016 Ladies 2017 Gents 2017 Ladies

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