zipper, I have been to see the Waterloo Cup at Altcar, just the once, should have gone more as I only live a few miles away. I can remember a few heavies from the North West flapping tracks getting together and going down to sort the animal rights lot out, but too many police there. Master Mcgrath won it three times, Mick the Miller won the Derby 3 times

I also went to the  call over at The Scarisbrick Hotel in Southport that year. Steven Little would be there offering the prices and as they called out the dogs names they would lay the bets, no money changed hands, you paid when you lost.

I got one of my best ever spinter's, a courser ownned by Mark Prescott called "Unsighted Again", sired by Best Man after the event one year. He gave it to a friend of his who lived near Preston and he put with me to train.
I entered it in the Bolton Guineas but Harry Thorpe would not put him in so I graded him in with a ton in hand and he had his first race on the night of the Guineas heats. Off scratch giving 4 yards he led at the first and hosed in 20 spots faster than any of the open races. Had it been an ordinary meeting we would have got the red light. A week later under the name of Dr Winnington we cleaned out the books at Blackpool. Those where the days.

Clacton, your memory of the course is way before mine.  My only solid evidence is based on Copes Racegoer Encyclopaedia which from the early 50's until 1962 lists the race as being run over 1m 2f. I am happy to defer.

The 1952 Cope's doesn't list the historic Victoria Cup results at all. I don't have all of them but the 1955 to 1962 inclusive issues show the race as being over 1m 2f.  Perversely the 1954 issue shows the distance as 1m 7f which is clearly nonsense.

Of course, the race was originally run over 1m 2f but the date of change seems to be uncertain. However as I said I am happy to defer to you that during OUR time the race was run over 7f (I think!!)

Onlooker will be able to help!

Can't really describe it as a favourite but I do think it is sad to see Worcester reduced to Summer jumping fodder. These days there is probably more chance of finding a needle in a haystack than a decent horse turning up and if they do it is probably by accident. We all know about the flooding but if it was such an issue how did the Winter fixtures survive for so long?

have to agree with Go To War with regards to the old chase track at Haydock. used to be a proper course, now alas just like Southwell's chase course, a crime what they did to it

blackbarn and clacton -  Just looked at 1949 Raceform

Hurst Park - Saturday May 21st 1949 - Good

3-10 Victoria Cup - 7 f

1.  My Babu - 4-9-7 - Charlie Smirke

14 ran - Won by 3 lengths - 7/1 (opened 4/1)

* The year before - MY BABU had won the 2000 Guineas.

Were they all leading juvenile sires ?

Good guess posy, but doesn't apply to Tudor Minstrel and it is not what I am looking for  It is a bit more esoteric than that. It is to do with their names.

I don't suppose anyhone else on here ever went to the Beaufort Hunt meeting at Sherston (which was under NH rules, not a point to point). I went a couple of times in the 1950's as a child and remember the likes of Bob Turnell, Derek Ancil and Michael Scudamore riding there.

lived in bargery road and there were loads of trees brought down in the famous michael fish storm - good to see there's some green being restored!  still 400K for catford - can't believe it...

posy 30 Aug 15 15:20 

onlooker it seems incredible that a 2000gns winner should run in the Victoria Cup....must have been a very prestigious race in those days  -----------------

The Victoria Cup was worth £2413 to the Winner, in 1949

The 2000 Guineas - run on Wednesday April 27th - was worth £13,606

By comparison - The Royal Hunt Cup was worth £3463 - The Wokingham Handicap £1903

Incidentally - The Royal Hunt Cup was run over 7f 155yds

The Ascot course Layout has moved inwards twice since then - both times to accommodate new Grandstands and Lawns in front of the Stands.

Don't know if anyone's mentioned it, but Pompey Dogs. Loved an evening there, terrific value as well, with their five things for a fiver deal.

Park Royal

miss any turf track replaced with AW!!  used to go to portsmouth dogs when i lived there in 96-98, good to see that graham holland having success in ireland