Earliest meeting: Tuesday 29th August 1843
Final meeting: Monday 3rd August 1868
The Welsh seaside resort of Rhyl lies on the River Clwyd in Denbighshire. To the east of the town is Prestatyn while to the south is Rhuddlan. In the middle of the 19th century the town held races for a number of years, beginning on Tuesday 29th August 1843 when the opening Mostyn Cup was won by Kerfoot. The course, on the Prestatyne side of the town at Ffrith-y-fawr, was ‘most suitably adapted for a flat racecourse, the sloping ground on the sea-shore side formed an admirable stand to witness events’. The 1845 meeting was particularly well supported by nobility and landed gentry, including the racing fanatic Sir Watkin Williams Wynne. Bay Mare, owned by Mr Jackson, captured the opening Handicap Sweepstakes and the Free Handicap later in the day, after which an Ordinary was served by Mr Fielding at the Royal Hotel in the evening. Races continued to be popular and well attended until a final meeting under rules on Monday 3rd August 1868 at which both principal races, the Rhyl Stakes and Visitors’ Purse, were won by Mr J Brett’s bay mare Pretty Puss. The Hunt Stakes went to Mr Ellis’s Miss Barleycorn, while the day concluded with a Consolation Handicap Sweepstake won by Mr Thompson’s Polly. After this date races did continue to be held annually well into the 1890s, but no longer under rules. A typical card was held on Thursday 28th September 1882 featuring the Town Purse for ponies, the Promenade Stakes for Cobs not exceeding 15 hands, and the High Street Scurry Stakes for bona fide horses owned by car and horse proprietors within a 20 mile radius of the town. |
Thursday 4th September 1845
Rhyl Free Handicap
1. Bay Mare, 6 year old owned by Mr Jackson
2. Zebetta, 5 year old owned by Mr Kerfoot
3. Apricot, 5 year old owned by Mr Roberts |
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 |
