Sandown Park Racecourse

Racecourse and leisure venue in Esher, Surrey

This article is about the English racecourse. For the Australian racecourse, see Sandown Racecourse. For the Australian Sandown Park greyhound track, see Sandown Greyhounds.

"Sandown Park" redirects here. For the Australian railway stations, see Sandown Park railway station.

Sandown Park

Sandown Park Grandstand in 2014

Location| Esher, Surrey
Owned by| Jockey Club Racecourses
Date opened| 1875
Screened on| Racing TV
Course type| Flat
National Hunt
Official website
The Winning Line The Parade Ring

Sandown Park is a horse racing course and leisure venue in Esher, Surrey, England, located in the outer suburbs of London. It hosts 5 Grade One National Hunt races and one Group 1 flat race, the Eclipse Stakes. It regularly has horse racing during afternoons, evenings and on weekends, and also hosts many non-racing events such as trade shows, wedding fairs, toy fairs, car shows and auctions, property shows, concerts, and even some private events. It was requisitioned by the War Department from 1940–1945 for World War II.

The venue has hosted bands such as UB40, Madness, Girls Aloud, Spandau Ballet and Simply Red. The racecourse is close to Esher railway station, served by trains from London Waterloo. There is a secondary exit from Esher station which is open on race days, this exit leads directly into the racecourse and Lower Green, Esher.[1]

## History

[edit]

This section contains too many or overly lengthy quotations. Please help summarise the quotations. Consider transferring direct quotations to Wikiquote or excerpts to Wikisource. (June 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Sandown Park was the site of a priory built by Henry II. All the occupants died of plague in 1349. Later, a hospital was built there, and when this was demolished, the land was absorbed into Sandown Farm. Lieutenant Colonel Owen Williams bought the land from Mr J.W. Spicer. The colonel had a younger brother, Hwfa (pronounced 'Hoofer'), who realised that it was an ideal site for horse racing. James Gill quotes Hwfa's wife, Florence, from her book written in 1935, 'It Was Such Good Fun'. "Hwfa as a husband was quite delightful because he was always thinking of something new. The organisation of Sandown was one of his most successful ventures. Being so near London and situated where it was, Hwfa realised that Sandown could be turned into an ideal suburban racecourse. Its popularity was certain for there was no other racecourse so near or accessible to London. So Hwfa worked on his scheme and with that thoroughness and attention to detail that was always so characteristic of him, went into the smallest particulars. He had several friends with influence in the Jockey Club, so there was no difficulty about getting a licence... So successful was the Sandown venture that other suburban racecourses such as Hurst Park and Kempton Park came into existence."

Hwfa Williams was clerk of the course at Sandown for about fifty years.[2]

In 1903, Mr F.H. Bayles praised Sandown in his book, ‘The Race Courses of Great Britain and Ireland’: "A movement for the betterment of English racing by the introduction of an enclosed meeting at Esher in Surrey, close by the Royal residence at Claremont, instituted in 1875, was the harbinger of racecourse reform; with the result that it has induced society to bestow upon it its patronage, by burying the bad reputation of many of its predecessors."

Society did patronise Sandown Park, including the Prince of Wales who won the Eclipse Stakes in 1897 with Persimmon, and in 1900 with Diamond Jubilee.[3]

Sandown Park was one of the first courses to charge all for attending. It opened in 1875 and everyone had to pay at least half a crown. The first meeting was a mixed flat and jumps meeting over three days, starting on Thursday 22 April, and included the Grand National Hunt Chase, now staged at the Cheltenham Festival. The Grand International Steeple Chase took place on the Saturday, worth £2,130 to the winner, and was the largest prize for a steeplechase that season, unusually even eclipsing that for the Liverpool Grand National.[4]

In 1875, Sandown became the first course in England to have a members' enclosure.[5]

On 24 January 1948, the BBC broadcast two steeplechases and a hurdle race from Sandown – the first time that horse racing was shown live on television anywhere in the world.[citation needed]

The first sponsored National Hunt race took place at Sandown on 27 April 1957. Colonel W. H. Whitbread, chairman of the famous brewery, had supported jumping for many years (and had ridden in two Grand Nationals and completed the course both times) and conceived the idea of a sponsoring a valuable steeplechase at Sandown. The first Whitbread Gold Cup, over 3m 5f, with 24 fences, was won by the nine year old, Much Obliged (10/1), carrying 10st 12lbs, trained by Neville Crump, and ridden by J. East, with Mandarin second. The race is now known as the Bet365 Gold Cup.[6]

Sandown was the first course to amalgamate the Silver Ring and Tattersalls Enclosure, in 1973, after the course had been closed for several months to facilitate building a new stand.

## Course

[edit]

Sandown has two right-handed courses for flat racing and steeplechasing, both of which are about 1 mile 5 furlongs round. Hurdle races are run on the flat course. The courses are built on sandy soil and drain well. From the winning post on the flat course, the ground rises round the first turn, then drops 20 feet in 100 yards. It continues to fall slightly to the beginning of the back straight. After this the course is mostly flat to the final turn, about four furlongs from the winning post. The home straight is testing as it climbs steadily until levelling about fifty yards from the post. The five-furlong course runs diagonally across the circuit, with a different winning post from the round course.

The steeplechase course has eleven fences. After the winning post the runners take a right-hand bend to the first fence, taken slightly downhill on the outside of the flat course; then they turn into the back straight where they take two plain fences and an open ditch before crossing the flat course to take the water jump, then the three 'Railway' fences close together. On the home turn the 'chase course moves to the outside of the flat course, where the horses take the 'Pond' fence, three out, before a slight turn into the home straight for the final two fences, the second of which is divided into two, with half being an open ditch for the first circuit (or the first two circuits in 3m 5f races). There is a stiff climb from the final fence, with a run-in of 300 yards. Sandown is unusual, in that the water jump comes after the final open ditch.

The hurdles course has six flights, four down the back straight, two on the home straight.[2]

## Notable races

[edit]

Month  | Meeting  | DOW  | Race Name  | Type  | Grade | Distance  | Age/Sex

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

January |  | Friday  | Grand Military Gold Cup | Chase  | Conditions  | 3m | 6yo +
February |  | Saturday  | Masters Handicap Chase | Chase  | Handicap  | 3m | 5yo +
February |  | Saturday  | Scilly Isles Novices' Chase | Chase  | Grade 1  | 2m 4f | 5yo +
February |  | Saturday  | Heroes Handicap Hurdle | Hurdle  | Premier Hcap  | 2m 6f | 4yo +
March |  | Saturday  | Imperial Cup | Hurdle  | Handicap  | 2m | 4yo +
March |  | Saturday  | EBF Novices' Hurdle | Hurdle  | Premier Hcap  | 2m 4f | 4yo-7yo
April |  | Friday  | Sandown Mile | Flat  | Group 2  | 1m | 4yo +
April |  | Friday  | Sandown Classic Trial | Flat  | Group 3  | 1m 1f 209y | 3yo only
April |  | Friday  | Esher Cup | Flat  | Handicap  | 1m | 3yo
April |  | Friday  | Gordon Richards Stakes | Flat  | Group 3  | 1m 1f 209y | 4yo +
April |  | Saturday  | Bet365 Gold Cup | Chase  | Premier Hcap  | 3m 5f | 5yo +
April |  | Saturday  | Celebration Chase | Chase  | Grade 1  | 2m | 5yo +
May |  | Thursday  | Henry II Stakes | Flat  | Group 3  | 2m 50y | 4yo +
May |  | Thursday  | Brigadier Gerard Stakes | Flat  | Group 3  | 1m 1f 209y | 4yo +
May |  | Thursday  | National Stakes | Flat  | Listed  | 5f 10y | 2yo
May |  | Thursday  | Heron Stakes | Flat  | Listed  | 1m | 3yo
May |  | Thursday  | Whitsun Cup | Flat  | Handicap  | 1m | 4yo+
July |  | Saturday  | Eclipse Stakes | Flat  | Group 1  | 1m 1f 209y | 3yo +
July |  | Saturday  | Sprint Stakes | Flat  | Group 3  | 5f 10y | 3yo +
August |  | Saturday  | Atalanta Stakes | Flat  | Group 3  | 1m | 3yo + f
August |  | Saturday  | Solario Stakes | Flat  | Group 3  | 7f | 2yo only
December |  | Friday  | Esher Novices' Chase  | Chase  | Grade 2  | 3m | 4yo +
December |  | Friday  | Winter Novices' Hurdle | Hurdle  | Grade 2  | 2m 4f | 4yo +
December |  | Saturday  | Henry VIII Novices' Chase | Chase  | Grade 1  | 2m | 4yo +
December |  | Saturday  | Tingle Creek Chase | Chase  | Grade 1  | 2m | 4yo +

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Modern map of Lower Green, Esher". Lower Green Esher. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
2. ^ a b Gill, James (1975). Racecourses of Great Britain. London: Barrie & Evans. pp. 187–189\. ISBN 0214200906.
3. ^ Rickman, John (1952). Homes of Sport: Horse Racing. London: Peter Garnett. p. 207.
4. ^ Stevens, Peter, History of the National Hunt Chase 1860-2010, pp 53-55. ISBN 978-0-9567250-0-4
5. ^ Plumptre, George (1985). The Fast Set - The World of Edwardian Racing. London: Andre Deutsch. p. 11\. ISBN 0233977546.
6. ^ Seth-Smith, Michael; Willett, Peter; Mortimer, Roger; Lawrence, John (1966). The History of Steeplechasing. Michael Joseph Ltd. p. 169.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sandown Park Racecourse.

* Official website
* Course guide on GG.COM
* Course guide on At The Races

51°22′33″N 0°21′42″W﻿ / ﻿51.37583°N 0.36167°W﻿ / 51.37583; -0.36167

* v
* t
* e

Horse racing in Great Britain

Venues|

| National Hunt|

* Aintree
* Bangor-on-Dee
* Cartmel
* Cheltenham
* Exeter
* Fakenham
* Fontwell Park
* Hereford
* Hexham
* Huntingdon
* Kelso
* Ludlow
* Market Rasen
* Newton Abbot
* Perth
* Plumpton
* Sedgefield
* Stratford-on-Avon
* Taunton
* Uttoxeter
* Warwick
* Wincanton
* Worcester

|

Flat|

* Bath
* Beverley
* Brighton
* Chelmsford City
* Chester
* Epsom Downs
* Goodwood
* Great Yarmouth
* Hamilton Park
* Newmarket
* Nottingham
* Pontefract
* Redcar
* Ripon
* Salisbury
* Thirsk
* Wolverhampton
* York

Mixed|

* Ascot
* Ayr
* Carlisle
* Catterick
* Chepstow
* Doncaster
* Ffos Las
* Haydock Park
* Kempton Park
* Leicester
* Lingfield Park
* Musselburgh
* Newbury
* Newcastle
* Sandown Park
* Southwell
* Wetherby
* Windsor

Closed
since 1945|

* Newport (1948)
* Colwall Park (1949)
* Buckfastleigh (1960)
* Hurst Park (1962)
* Manchester (1963)
* Woore (1963)
* Lewes (1964)
* Lincoln (1964)
* Bogside (1965)
* Birmingham (1965)
* Rothbury (1965)
* Alexandra Park (1970)
* Wye (1974)
* Lanark (1977)
* Stockton (1981)
* Folkestone (2012)
* Towcester (2019)

Named races|

* List of British flat horse races (British Classic Races)
* List of British National Hunt races

Regulation|

* British Horseracing Authority

Other bodies|

* British Racing School
* Horserace Betting Levy Board
* National Association of Racing Staff
* Racehorse Owners Association
* Tattersalls
* The National Stud
* Weatherbys

Course owners|

* Arena Racing Company (16) (Merger of Arena Leisure and Northern Racing by Reuben Brothers)
* Jockey Club Racecourses (14)

Television broadcasting|

ITV Racing (free-to-air) - Racing TV \- Sky Sports Racing

* v
* t
* e

Borough of Elmbridge

Towns, villages and
neighbourhoods|

| Cobham|

* Cobham
* Downside
* Stoke d'Abernon
* Little Heath

|

Esher|

* Claygate
* Esher
* Hinchley Wood
* West End
* Lower Green

Surbiton|

* Long Ditton

Thames Ditton|

* Thames Ditton
* Weston Green

Molesey|

Molesey (in traditional parish, East Molesey and West Molesey)

Leatherhead|

Leatherhead, Oxshott

Walton on Thames|

* Ashley Park
* Burwood Park
* Hersham
* Walton-on-Thames

Weybridge|

* Oatlands
* St George's Hill
* Weybridge

Notable parks|

* Cigarette Island Park
* Esher Commons
* Giggs Hill Green
* Hurst Park
* Molesey Heath
* Oxshott Heath and Woods
* Painshill
* Weybridge Heath

Places of worship|

* St George's Church, Esher
* St Mary's Church, Stoke d'Abernon
* Church of St Nicholas, Thames Ditton
* Weybridge United Reformed Church

Education|

* ACS International Schools
* Brooklands College
* Danes Hill School
* Esher Church of England High School
* Esher Sixth Form College
* Feltonfleet School
* Heathside School
* Hinchley Wood School
* Milbourne Lodge School
* Notre Dame School
* Reed's School
* Three Rivers Academy
* St George's College (part)

Transport|

| Railway stations|

* Claygate
* Cobham & Stoke d'Abernon
* Esher
* Hampton Court
* Hersham
* Hinchley Wood
* Oxshott
* Thames Ditton
* Walton-on-Thames
* Weybridge

|

Roads|

* M25
* A3
* A244
* A307
* A3050

Notable other|

* Thames Path
* London Outer Orbital Path
* Wey Navigation

Buildings and structures|

* Bessborough Reservoir
* Brooklands
* Brooklands Museum
* Claremont Estate
* Cobham Park
* Cobham Training Centre
* Esher Place
* Hurst Park Racecourse
* Knight Reservoir
* Island Barn Reservoir
* London Bus Museum
* Molesey Lock
* Molesey Reservoirs
* Queen Elizabeth II Reservoir
* Sandown Park Racecourse
* Sunbury Lock
* Wayneflete Tower

Sport|

* Dittons Skiff and Punting Club
* East Molesey Cricket Club
* Esher RFC
* Metropolitan Police F.C.
* Molesey Boat Club
* Molesey F.C.
* Surbiton Hockey Club
* Thames Ditton Lawn Tennis Club
* Thames Valley Skiff Club
* Walton Casuals F.C.
* Walton & Hersham F.C.
* Walton Rowing Club
* Weybridge Rowing Club

Places listed are articles notable as settlements, arranged by post town
The M25 motorway follows approximately a boundary and is included for its regional importance.
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template