Earliest meeting: Monday 15th April 1861
Final meeting: Thursday 16th April 1868
The earliest date on which racing took place in the Hampshire district of Hambledon was in 1791 at Soberton Downs when organised by Hambledon Foxhound Committee. It was not until 1824 that the Sporting Magazine and Racing Calendar included results from those meetings. Throughout the 1850s and 1860s the Hambledon Hunt meetings continued at a range of courses. In 1861 the Hunt moved from Soberton Downs for the first time to Waterloo, with that early meeting staged on Monday 15th April 1861 on ground rented by Mr F Baker from the East Hants Cricket Club. The opening Hambledon Hunt Race was won by Mr Cox’s Theodine, getting the better of Playman and Speculation. The next year the Hunt switched courses again to Waterloo Villa Park, closer to Droxford. For the meeting on Thursday 16th April 1868 Waterloo was employed yet again when the South Hampshire Grand National went to Mr Doncaster’s The Robber, defeating Benazet and Contraband.

Duke of Hamilton, Earl Poulett, Captain Berkeley; Mr C.Shard

Hambledon Trial Stakes ( 1 ¼ miles)
1. Gossoon owned by Mr H Smith
2. Unnamed filly by Waterloo owned by Mr C.Shard
3. Swindon owned by Captain Berkeley

Hambledon Farmer’s Cup (2 miles)
1. Buccaneer owned by Mr Legg
2. Ploughboy owned by Mr Saint

Throughout the 1840’s and 1850’s the meetings continued but a range of courses were used, although Soberton Downs continued to be the most popular, being used from 1791-1855 and 1857-1860. Other courses used were Wickham (1856 only) to the South West of Hambledon, Waterloo in 1861 (Waterlooville), Droxford (from 1862) and Bushey Downs (up to 1873) to the North West and Grenville Hall. Once Hambledon Hunt Committee moved the races to Grenville Hall in 1874 this became their permanent home, and racing continued until Thursday 7th May 1914 when the War caused the meetings to cease.

Monday 15th April 1861
United Hunt Steeplechase
1. Theodine, aged horse owned by Mr Cox
2. Playman, aged horse owned by Mr Arthur Yates
3. Speculation, aged horse owned by Mr Horley

On ground rented from East Hants Cricket Club by Mr F Baker. Today there is little visible evidence of where the racecourse once stood, with the ground being ploughed and used as farm land, but the remains of the old grandstand can still be seen as a reminder to glorious race days that once graced the ground. The course was used for point to point races until Saturday 15th March 1952

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:-

Northern Turf History Volumes 1-4 by J.Fairfax-Blakeborough

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