Earliest meeting: Wednesday 22nd August 1804
Final meeting: Wednesday 14th April 1858
The Berkshire village of Ilsley, now associated with a number of famous racing stables in both East and West Ilsley, including Mick Channon and Hughie Morrison, once had its own racecourse which operated for a prolonged period from 1804 through to 1858. It held its first meeting on Wednesday 22nd August 1804 with the feature being the Gentlemen’s and Noblemen’s Subscription won by Virgin. It was to be another 45 years before it held its next meeting. Throughout the 3 year period from 1849 to 1852 there were regular meetings, but they ceased at the end of 1852 after a meeting entitled the Ilsley Aristocratic Races was organised by the Gentlemen students of Oxford and held on Ilsley Downs. The Ilsley Cup was the principal race and went to Major Slingsby’s Lady Beatrice who defeated Lord Scamperdale’s Princess. Four years later the meeting was revived and from 1856 through to 1858 regular meetings continued. The final meeting was held on Wednesday 14th April 1858.
Wednesday 22nd August 1804
Gentlemen & Noblemen’s Subscription over 1 ½ miles
1. Virgin, black filly owned by Mr Abbey
2. Loto, bay horse owned by Mr B Price
3. Elfi Bey, brown horse owned by Mr Spragg
East Ilsley continues to play a significant part in horse racing today via Hughie Morrison. The photo below shows the very successful open day in 2013. For further details on this highly successful training establishment visit www.hughiemorrison.co.uk
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
