Earliest meeting: Wednesday 13th September 1876
Final meeting: Wednesday 4th May 1892
Dartmouth is a tourist town on the banks of the River Dart in Devon. There are two castles protecting the town, Dartmouth and Kingswear, and the town was home to the Royal Navy, beginning in the reign of Edward III. On Wednesday 13th September 1876 it held its first race meeting after a 17 year lapse, administered by the Dartmouth Hunt, and continued with meetings for the next 11 years. The course, on the same site as the one last used in 1859, about 1 ½ miles from town on fields known as ‘The Ridges’, complete with a grandstand which provided an excellent view of the whole course. After a successful day of racing the crowd retired for Dinner at the Whittles Hotel. Once racing ceased in 1887 there was a 5 year break before making a welcome return on Wednesday 4th May 1892 on a new 3 mile round course at Yeovers, a hilly part of the town close to the cemetery. However, the revival was short-lived, not extending beyond the sole meeting.
Wednesday 4th May 1892
Britannia Beagle Cup over 2 ½ miles
1. Doxy, bay mare owned by Mr T Ferris
2. Dora, grey mare owned by Mr R B Oldrieve
3. King John, bay gelding owned by Mr J Trant
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
