Steeplechasing in and around Bristol

The Berkeley Hunt has been in existence in some fashion or other since the C12th, but in keeping with the growth of organised sport, and capitalism in Victorian Britain, the hunt branched out into racing in the middle of the C19th, setting up an annual race day about a mile out of Berkeley in February 1859, which lasted until the 1870s. 

At that time, there was stiff competition for racecourses. Virtually every small town had its own fixture, some over multiple days, and ready fruits of Victorian labour were pushed into racecourse construction all over the UK. Bristol having done very well from the Industrial Revolution, as witnessed by the quantity of elegant houses within easy reach of the city, it saw plenty of competition for racing. 

The Bristol & Counties Races Company, of which more later, was, at least temporarily, better funded, to the extent that the Berkeley Races died out in the 1870s for around 10 years, before returning in April 1885 on a course of 2 1/2 - 3 miles. Whilst the meeting was well received, including a Yeomanry Cup restricted to riders from the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars that would make Rollo Clifford very proud, it couldn't be sustained and died a death the following year. 

Bristol, by contrast, continued to spawn racecourses hither and thither, even though none sadly survive now. 

The first recorded chase was somewhere in Bristol in 1832, and another is mentioned at Marshfield 2 years later. There were also races on what is best known as Clifton Downs, or Durdham Down, between the Zoo and the halls of residence for the university on the western side of the Common, but again, these died out by 1838.

A further fixture was held at Patchway, between the RAC Call centre and Cribbs Causeway Shopping Centre to viewers on the M5, in 1856, and a meeting west of Keynsham 3 years later, at Knowle.  These were all, of course, rural areas before Bristol had grown to its current size. 

But it was at Knowle that Bristol set up its biggest chance to make a racecourse of which to be proud. Just off the Wells Road, and south of what is now Redcatch Lane to Bristolians, land was leased by owner Sir Greville Smyth to the Bristol & Western Counties Racecourse Company. 

The company was well financed. £8,000 of capital had been raised in £100 shares, and spent in building a stand 120ft long  with three tiers, and hard standing inside the course to enable carriages to park trackside. The model was replicated at Sandown Park two years later, where the whole course was enclosed, and this proved a poor error at Knowle, as a majority of the public could only be charged 6d for space in the grandstand. 

There were other issues that led to Knowle's downfall, not least the poor and inconsistent ground conditions underfoot. The course was would up in 1880. 

But not before hosting the nation's best loved race at the time, the National Hunt Steeplechase, foundation stone of what is now the Cheltenham Festival, or rather Grand National Hunt Steeplechase, as it was referred in its early years. Starting in Market Harborough in 1860, the race moved around various venues until settling at Cheltenham in 1911. And it was at Knowle that it played out in 1873, part, one imagines, of building the credibility of the new course. 

The race was centrepiece to a three day fixture with a prize fund of £250 and a cup worth £100 in addition, open to 4 year olds and upwards in a Weight for Age scale, where 4yos carried 10st 10lb, 5yos 12st 1lb and older horses 12st 10lb (move over Tiger Roll!) The race attracted a reputed crowd in excess of 70,000, with 25,000 paying to get into the grandstands and enclosures. 

The right-handed track of nearly 2 miles round had 11 fences, with the race over 2 circuits. Unlike many courses in this era, many of the obstacles had been specifically built for purpose; this was no cross country chase. 

The thirteen runners were headed by 5/2 favourite Cardigan, and the race was most eventful. After the early running was set by Greyleg, he blundered his chance away half way round the first circuit hampering another runner. Eventual winner Pickles picked up the running with Cardigan in hot pursuit, even leading over the last but Pickles rallied under rider Arthur Tempest, who promptly retired.

Only 5 finished before any other contenders were swamped by the crowd rushing on to the course.

The National Hunt Chase never returned to Bristol. The issues of ground and crowd control proved insuperable, and whilst Knowle was best known most recently as a greyhound stadium, horseracing in Bristol never saw the light of day again.  

Author

Peter McNeile is a career racing professional and formerly part of the successful team behind Cheltenham Racecourse. He now works to promote the grass roots of the sport at Point-to-Point level and writes about the sport.