An ordinary day's racing… Or is it?

Worcester Races - 20^th August 1966

At first glance an ordinary day’s racing; however there was more significance attached to this meeting than might first appear. Worcester is known these days as a National Hunt racecourse but in years gone by they also raced on the flat at the racecourse and this was the very last flat racing meeting to be held at Worcester.

The racecourse known locally as Pitchcroft bears similarities to Chester, Stratford and Windsor, the course being enclosed on one side by a natural waterway of the River Severn. Racing has been taking place at Pitchcroft since 1718, and this makes the current Worcester racecourse one of the oldest consistent racing sites in the UK. Originally, Worcester was a flat racing circuit staging major flat races, such as the Worcester Stakes, and the Worcester Gold Cup. However, the 1880 redevelopment of the course into a figure of eight circuit proved to be very unpopular with flat trainers, and the quality and quantity of flat runners began to gradually decline. At the same time, national hunt racing grew in popularity amongst the local community, and the quality of the jump racing began to improve. Although the figure of eight circuit was eventually abandoned in favour of an oval shaped track, by 1966 flat racing at Worcester was discontinued, and the course concentrated exclusively on National Hunt racing. Frequent winter flooding of the course has resulted in a many more of Worcester’s race meetings switching to an increasingly popular summer jumping programme.

Trainers with runners on the final card included… Herbert Smyth, Staff Ingham, Farnham Maxwell, Doug Marks, John Meacock, Ryan Jarvis, Eddie Reavey, Ron Mason, Richmond Sturdy,   Fiddler Goodwill, George Beeby, Ken Cundell, Tom Corrie, Bruce Hobbs, Herbert Blagrave, John Dunlop, Tommy Gosling, Bob Read, Norah Wilmot, and Peter Nelson.

Jockeys with booked rides on the final card included… Paul Tulk, Keith Temple-Nidd, Denis Ryan, Stan Clayton, Brian Jago, Tommy Skuse, Denis Buckle, Derek Morris, David East, Sammy Millbanks, and Terry Stringer.

Apprentice Jockeys with booked rides on the final card included… Terry Sturrock (5lbs), Denis Letherby (3lbs), Tony Murray (7lbs), John Higgins (7lbs) Colin Williams (5lbs), and Tommy Reidy (7lbs).

Worcester runners and riders - 20^th August 1966 

Worcester results - 20^th August 1966 

 Worcester Racecourse Plan – 1966 

A Flooded Worcester Racecourse