COLESHILL (OXON) RACECOURSE

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Earliest meeting: Thursday 17th March 1881
Final meeting: Thursday 17th March 1881
The Oxfordshire village of Coleshill lies in the Vale of the White Horse in Oxfordshire close to Buscot Park. There was a race meeting in the village in the latter part of the 1800s, with the meeting directed by the Old Berkshire Hunt committee. The Old Berks can trace its history back to 1830 and organised the solitary meeting under rules on Thursday 17th March 1881. The opening Farmers’ Cup was won by Mr R Aldworth’s Sorceress who beat Hard Times. In the concluding United Farmers’ Hunt Race Sorceress landed a double by winning this event as well. Although this is the only meeting billed entirely to the Old Berkshire, meetings with other Hunt Committees were staged at various times. However, even to this day the Old Berks hold point to point meetings at Lockinge.

This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below.
Local Patrons

Earl of Craven, Mr V Van de Weyer (Steward), Mr F Atkins (Clerk)

Principal Races Old Berks Hunt Club Steeplechase, Farmers’ Cup

Thursday 17th March 1881
Old Berks Hunt Club Steeplechase over 2 miles
1. Yellow Jack, aged horse owned by Mr J Jackson
2. Tedworth, aged horse owned by Mr T H Deacon
3. Swindon, aged horse owned by Mr T H Deacon
Betting: 7/4 Yellow Jack, 7/4 Red Deer, 3/1 Kinsman

I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.

The final meeting took place on Thursday 17th March 1881.
Course today In the village of Coleshill close to Buscot Park.
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

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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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    
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