Earliest meeting: Wednesday 21st August 1805
Final meeting: Tuesday 11th August 1868
The Kent town of Walmer lies 6 miles south-east of Sandwich in the Dover district of the county. Today it boasts a population of 6.700 and is closely associated with its near neighbour Deal, but back in the early to mid-19th century that close link was cemented by the 2 towns jointly hosting race meetings. The earliest record of a meeting was on a course laid out on Free Down, about 4 miles from Deal. The meeting was organized by Officers of the Brigade of Guards and was staged on Wednesday 21st August 1805.

Wednesday 21st August 1805
Deal Fifty Guineas Match over 2 miles

1. Cantab, chestnut horse owned by Mr Rous
2. Tinker, brown horse owned by Captain Henry

Second Fifty Guineas Match over 2 miles
1. Trull, chestnut mare owned by Mr Latour
2. Crazy Jane, grey mare owned by Captain Todd

Third 50 Guineas Match over 2 miles

1. Moonshine, grey horse owned by Captain Rigge
2. Unnamed chestnut mare owned by Lord Saltown

Whilst further meetings might well have taken place over the next 60 years, the next time results from such a meeting were recorded was on Tuesday 16th July 1866 when the meeting was held on Sandown Meadows, probably now part of the Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club which was constructed in 1892, within view of the ruins of Sandown Castle, a fort constructed by Henry VIII in 1539. The staked out round course had a run in of 2 furlongs, while the crowd was boosted to 8000 by London pleasure-seekers transported to the course by the South Eastern train company. Throughout the afternoon, in between races, the crowd was entertained by the 3rd CPAV Band.

Tuesday 16th July 1866
Deal Town Stakes for Saddle & Bridle over 1 ¼ miles

1. Lady Sykes, chestnut mare owned by Mr T Barnes and ridden by B Scott
2. Little Jessie, bay mare owned and ridden by Mr Conley
3. Welsh Lassie, black mare owned by Mr West and ridden by Axon

Sandwich Stakes for silver plated harness and driving whip over 1 ½ miles

1. Bay Middleton, bay gelding owned by Mr W Howard and ridden by J Hatton
2. Lady Sykes, chestnut mare owned and ridden by Mr T Barnes
3. Bribery Colt, brown colt owned by Mr Almond and ridden by W Marshall

Borough £10 10s Members Plate over 1 ½ miles

1. Charity, bay gelding owned by Mr Stiff and ridden by J Hatton
2. Marchioness, brown mare owned and ridden by Mr J Marsh
3. Lioness, bay mare owned and ridden by Mr Bulmer
4. Blue Bell, brown gelding owned by Mr B E Coleman and ridden by Walmsley

Tradesmen's Stakes for tea service and salver over 1 ½ miles

1. Little Jessie, bay mare owned and ridden by Mr W Conley
2. Bay Middleton, bay gelding owned by Mr W Howard and ridden by J Hatton
3. Dinah, bay mare owned by Mr J W Bedwell and ridden by W Marshall

Deal & Walmer Pony Stakes over 6 furlongs

1. Wild Dayrell owned by Mr G Root and ridden by J Marsh
2. Queen-Street Lass, chestnut mare owned by Mr W Hind and ridden by Jones
3. Fly Fire, brown mare owned by Mr Ansell and ridden by Hudson

Hunters £15 Hurdles Stakes over 1 ¾ miles and 4 flights

1. Lioness, bay mare owned and ridden by Mr Bulmer
2. Bolingbroke owned by Mr G Watson and ridden by J Hatton
3. Marchioness, brown mare owned and ridden by Mr J Marsh

Prizes were presented at the Rose Inn by the Mayor, Mr R M Reynolds, in the evening.

Two years later a meeting took place on Tuesday 11th August 1868 which was tolerably attended, especially by the neighbouring garrisons.
Deal & Walmer Sandwich Stakes over 1 mile

1. Care for Nothing, brown gelding owned and ridden by Mr J Marsh
2. Old Lady, bay mare owned by Mr T J Woodruff and ridden by South
3. Cream of the Valley owned by Mr Jones and ridden by Howard
4. Major, chestnut gelding owned and ridden by Mr J F Woodruff
5. Lady Jane, chestnut mare owned by Mr Bushell and ridden by Soarden

Goodwin Weight for Age Plate over 1 ½ miles

1. Sneaking owned by Mr Willey and ridden by Grant
2. Huntsman owned by Mr White and ridden by J White
3. Cranford owned by Mr Hatton and ridden by Hatton

Military Hurdle Stakes over 2 miles and 5 flights

1. Miss Fowler, brown mare owned by Mr Robertson and ridden by Bird
2. Sneaking Lawyer owned by Mr Willey and ridden by Grant

Tradesmen’s Stakes over 1 ½ miles

1. Milly, grey mare owned by Mr Comley and ridden by J Marsh
2. Bay Middleton, bay gelding owned by Mr Howard and ridden by J White
3. True Blue, grey gelding owned by Mr Almond and ridden by Wratten

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