Horse racing in Wales
Encyclopedia
Horse racing
in Wales
has a long tradition dating back to the 18th century. Wales has held flat racing
, National Hunt
and harness racing
, and presently has three racecourses, at Chepstow
, Bangor-is-y-Coed and Ffos Las
. The Welsh National
is held annually at Chepstow between Christmas and New Year and is the highlight of the Welsh racing calendar.
, Haverfordwest
, Conwy
, Aberystwyth
, Brecon
and Wrexham
. The Cowbridge races were very popular and attracted entries from as far away as Yorkshire
. Steeplechasing began at Bangor-Is-Coed
in the 1850s and is still a racecourse to this day.
When diarist John Byng
in 1787 mentioned that he was passing 'not far from Cowbridge race ground' he was acknowledging the fame of the race meetings, which had grown from a family occasion into 'the Glamorgan races'. Early races were the scene of heavy betting
and attracted other entertainments as diverse as exclusive balls
, pig racing
and prostitution. This brought large crowds to races and a mingling of the social classes though the sport itself remained in the control of the gentry. The Welsh gentry used horseracing to integrate themselves with their English
counterparts, to gain a place for themselves in an elite British culture. In the mid and later 19th century there was growing pressure from religious quarters due to what was seen as the immoral and drunkenly behaviour that accompanied race days. This led to the Wrexham Races being abandoned between 1862 and 1890.
The 20th century saw the Welsh working class embrace the sport, mainly due to newspaper coverage and the spread of off-course betting. 1926 saw the opening of Chepstow Racecourse
at St Arvans, and although remaining on the margins of British horseracing until the opening of the Severn Bridge
in 1966, it is now the country's premier course. Chepstow holds the Welsh National
, which is held annually between Christmas and New Year. Due to the growth of other leisure activities and the cost of keeping and breeding horse, flat and national hunt racing went into long-term decline in Wales from the middle of the 19th century. From the middle of the 20th century most of the country's racecourses had closed. Today only three racecourses survive in Wales, Chepstow, Bangor-Is-Coed and Ffos Las
which was opened in 2009.
'. The sport grew in Wales in the late 19th century, originally involving Welsh cobs competing along roads. As the popularity of the sport rose, the races were transferred to grass tracks and 'standard bred' horses were imported from America to replace the native breeds. The oldest trotting meet in Wales is the Llangadog
which has been held every Easter Monday since 1884. In 1990, 'Tir Prince' an American-style raceway was opened in Towyn
which now holds 13 races a year, many of which are shown on Welsh language television channel S4C
on its programme Rasus.
s of note, including Jack Anthony
who won the Grand National
on three occasions (1911, 1915 and 1920), Hywel Davies who won it in 1985 and Carl Llewellyn who won the race most recently in 1992 and again in 1998. Another notable Welsh jockey was Dick Francis
, who was British jump racing Champion Jockey
in the 1953-54 season and was famous for riding Devon Loch
when the horse slipped close to the winning post when leading 1956 Grand National. In retirement Francis became a best-selling author of crime novels set in the racing world.
Two jockeys have been inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame
. Jack Anthony and Geoff Lewis
, who in 1971 won both the Derby
and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
on Mill Reef
.
; Patron Saint in 1928 and Norton's Coin in 1990. Norton's Coin, at 100-1, is the longest-priced winner of the race and won in a then-record time. He was trained by his owner, Sirrel Griffiths, a dairy farmer from Nantgaredig
in Carmarthenshire
.
In the first decade of the 21st century, several trainers based in Wales have made an impact in National Hunt racing
. Evan Williams, based in the Vale of Glamorgan
, and Peter Bowen from Pembrokeshire
have established themselves as successful trainers while Tim Vaughan, also from the Vale of Glamorgan, has started out on a training career with some success. Nigel Twiston-Davies
, trainer of two Grand National winners and Imperial Commander
, the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup
winner, is Welsh, although his training stables are in England.
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
has a long tradition dating back to the 18th century. Wales has held flat racing
Flat racing
Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...
, National Hunt
National Hunt racing
National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...
and harness racing
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
, and presently has three racecourses, at Chepstow
Chepstow
Chepstow is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the River Wye, close to its confluence with the River Severn, and close to the western end of the Severn Bridge on the M48 motorway...
, Bangor-is-y-Coed and Ffos Las
Ffos Las
Ffos Las is a rural area between the villages of Carway and Trimsaran, north of the town of Llanelli in the Gwendraeth Valley in Carmarthenshire, Wales....
. The Welsh National
Welsh National
The Welsh National is a Grade 3 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Chepstow, Wales, over a distance of about 3 miles and 5½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...
is held annually at Chepstow between Christmas and New Year and is the highlight of the Welsh racing calendar.
History
Organised horse racing in Wales originated with the gentry and aristocracy and among the earliest organised racing were point-to-point meetings. By 1833 there were internationally recognised flat races at many locations around the country, including CowbridgeCowbridge
Cowbridge is a market town in the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales, approximately west of Cardiff. Cowbridge is twinned with Clisson in the Loire-Atlantique department in northwestern France.-Roman times:...
, Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales and serves as the County's principal commercial and administrative centre. Haverfordwest is the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire, with a population of 13,367 in 2001; though its community boundaries make it the second most populous...
, Conwy
Conwy
Conwy is a walled market town and community in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales. The town, which faces Deganwy across the River Conwy, formerly lay in Gwynedd and prior to that in Caernarfonshire. Conwy has a population of 14,208...
, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
, Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
and Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
. The Cowbridge races were very popular and attracted entries from as far away as Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. Steeplechasing began at Bangor-Is-Coed
Bangor-on-Dee racecourse
Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Bangor-on-Dee near Wrexham, Wales.It is a left-handed National Hunt racecourse, and doesn't have a Grandstand.- History :...
in the 1850s and is still a racecourse to this day.
When diarist John Byng
John Byng, 5th Viscount Torrington
John Byng, 5th Viscount Torrington , styled Hon. John Byng until 1812, was one of the most notable of English eighteenth-century diarists...
in 1787 mentioned that he was passing 'not far from Cowbridge race ground' he was acknowledging the fame of the race meetings, which had grown from a family occasion into 'the Glamorgan races'. Early races were the scene of heavy betting
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
and attracted other entertainments as diverse as exclusive balls
Ball (dance)
A ball is a formal dance. The word 'ball' is derived from the Latin word "ballare", meaning 'to dance'; the term also derived into "bailar", which is the Spanish and Portuguese word for dance . In Catalan it is the same word, 'ball', for the dance event.Attendees wear evening attire, which is...
, pig racing
Pig racing
Pig-racing is a sport in which juvenile pigs race around a small enclosed dirt, fake grass or gravel track. This racing is usually purely for entertainment, and betting is not part of it. It is often one of the attractions at county fairs, but is also practiced in many backyard setups.Pig-racing...
and prostitution. This brought large crowds to races and a mingling of the social classes though the sport itself remained in the control of the gentry. The Welsh gentry used horseracing to integrate themselves with their English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
counterparts, to gain a place for themselves in an elite British culture. In the mid and later 19th century there was growing pressure from religious quarters due to what was seen as the immoral and drunkenly behaviour that accompanied race days. This led to the Wrexham Races being abandoned between 1862 and 1890.
The 20th century saw the Welsh working class embrace the sport, mainly due to newspaper coverage and the spread of off-course betting. 1926 saw the opening of Chepstow Racecourse
Chepstow Racecourse
Chepstow Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located just outside the town of Chepstow in Monmouthshire, Wales, near the southern end of the Wye Valley which forms the border with England...
at St Arvans, and although remaining on the margins of British horseracing until the opening of the Severn Bridge
Severn Bridge
The Severn Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the River Severn between South Gloucestershire, just north of Bristol, England, and Monmouthshire in South Wales, via Beachley, a peninsula between the River Severn and River Wye estuary. It is the original Severn road crossing between England and...
in 1966, it is now the country's premier course. Chepstow holds the Welsh National
Welsh National
The Welsh National is a Grade 3 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Chepstow, Wales, over a distance of about 3 miles and 5½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...
, which is held annually between Christmas and New Year. Due to the growth of other leisure activities and the cost of keeping and breeding horse, flat and national hunt racing went into long-term decline in Wales from the middle of the 19th century. From the middle of the 20th century most of the country's racecourses had closed. Today only three racecourses survive in Wales, Chepstow, Bangor-Is-Coed and Ffos Las
Ffos Las racecourse
The Ffos Las racecourse is a horse racing, equestrian sports and conferencing venue situated just off the B4317 road, opposite the Glyn Abbey Golf Club, in a rural area called Ffos Las between Trimsaran and Carway and is about north of Llanelli...
which was opened in 2009.
Harness racing
A popular, if unusual, form of horseracing in Wales is harness racing, known in Wales as 'trotting'. The sport involves horses racing at a non-galloping gait while being driven by men or women poised on two wheeled 'sulkiesSulky
A sulky is a lightweight cart having two wheels and a seat for the driver only but usually without a body, generally pulled by horses or dogs, and is used for harness races...
'. The sport grew in Wales in the late 19th century, originally involving Welsh cobs competing along roads. As the popularity of the sport rose, the races were transferred to grass tracks and 'standard bred' horses were imported from America to replace the native breeds. The oldest trotting meet in Wales is the Llangadog
Llangadog
Llangadog is a community located in Carmarthenshire, Wales, which includes the villages of Llangadog, Bethlehem and Capel Gwynfe. A notable local landscape feature is Y Garn Goch with two Iron Age hill forts....
which has been held every Easter Monday since 1884. In 1990, 'Tir Prince' an American-style raceway was opened in Towyn
Towyn
Towyn , is a seaside resort in the County Borough of Conwy, Wales.It is located between Rhyl, in Denbighshire, and Abergele in Conwy. According to the 2001 Census, together with neighbouring Kinmel Bay , it had a population 7,864, of which 10.7% could speak Welsh...
which now holds 13 races a year, many of which are shown on Welsh language television channel S4C
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
on its programme Rasus.
Notable Welsh jockeys
Wales has produced several jockeyJockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
s of note, including Jack Anthony
Jack Anthony (jockey)
John Randolph Anthony , better known as Jack Anthony, was a Welsh jockey.Anthony was best known for his three victories in the Grand National steeplechase: on "Glenside" in 1911, on "Ally Sloper" in 1915, and on "Troytown" in 1920...
who won the Grand National
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
on three occasions (1911, 1915 and 1920), Hywel Davies who won it in 1985 and Carl Llewellyn who won the race most recently in 1992 and again in 1998. Another notable Welsh jockey was Dick Francis
Dick Francis
Richard Stanley "Dick" Francis CBE was an English jockey and crime writer, many of whose novels centre around horse racing.- Personal life :...
, who was British jump racing Champion Jockey
British jump racing Champion Jockey
In Great Britain's National Hunt racing, the title of Champion Jockey is bestowed on the jockey who has ridden the most winning horses during a racing season. From its inception in 1900 through to 1925, the award was given to the jockey who had ridden the most winners during a calendar year...
in the 1953-54 season and was famous for riding Devon Loch
Devon Loch
Devon Loch was a famous racehorse that is probably best remembered for its involvement in the 1956 Grand National steeplechase, when owned by Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother....
when the horse slipped close to the winning post when leading 1956 Grand National. In retirement Francis became a best-selling author of crime novels set in the racing world.
Two jockeys have been inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame
Welsh Sports Hall of Fame
The Welsh Sports Hall of Fame is a charitable organization created to commemorate the sporting achievements and preserve the artifacts of Welsh athletes. It was established in 1980 from the memorabilia collection of Welsh radio announcer G. V. Wynne-Jones...
. Jack Anthony and Geoff Lewis
Geoff Lewis
Geoff Lewis is a Welsh retired jockey who was born in Talgarth, .He moved to London with his family in 1946. He came from a large family and started his career with Ron Smyth, who was a trainer in Epsom. He will be best remembered as the jockey that won the 1,000 Guineas, 2,000 Guineas, Oaks ,...
, who in 1971 won both the Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...
on Mill Reef
Mill Reef
Mill Reef was a Champion Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was bred in the United States but was trained in the United Kingdom throughout his racing career which lasted from 1970 to 1972. Mill Reef won twelve of his fourteen races and finished second in the other two...
.
Racehorse training in Wales
Two horses trained in Wales have won Britain's premier steeplechase, the Cheltenham Gold CupCheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...
; Patron Saint in 1928 and Norton's Coin in 1990. Norton's Coin, at 100-1, is the longest-priced winner of the race and won in a then-record time. He was trained by his owner, Sirrel Griffiths, a dairy farmer from Nantgaredig
Nantgaredig
Nantgaredig is a village in Carmarthenshire.The village is most notable for being the home of actor Julian Lewis Jones. The winner of the 1990 Cheltenham Gold Cup, Norton's Coin, was trained by Sirrel Griffiths at his farm at Nantgaredig...
in Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
.
In the first decade of the 21st century, several trainers based in Wales have made an impact in National Hunt racing
National Hunt racing
National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...
. Evan Williams, based in the Vale of Glamorgan
Vale of Glamorgan
The Vale of Glamorgan is a county borough in Wales; an exceptionally rich agricultural area, it lies in the southern part of Glamorgan, South Wales...
, and Peter Bowen from Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
have established themselves as successful trainers while Tim Vaughan, also from the Vale of Glamorgan, has started out on a training career with some success. Nigel Twiston-Davies
Nigel Twiston-Davies
Nigel Twiston-Davies is a British racehorse trainer specialising in National Hunt racing. He is based at stables at Naunton, Gloucestershire....
, trainer of two Grand National winners and Imperial Commander
Imperial Commander (horse)
Imperial Commander is a 9 year old throughbred racehorse.-Racing career:Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and ridden by jockey Paddy Brennan, Imperial Commander won the Gold Cup in 2010 at the Cheltenham Festival. The horse finished ahead of favourites Kauto Star and Denman...
, the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup
2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup
The 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup was a horse race which took place at Cheltenham on Friday March 19, 2010. It was the 82nd running of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and it was won by Imperial Commander. The winner was ridden by Paddy Brennan and trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies...
winner, is Welsh, although his training stables are in England.