The History of Larkhill Racecourse
1946/7
Laying the course
The course was laid out during the winter of 1946/7 and although some undulations were partially levelled, it mainly followed the natural lie of the land and is much as you see it today. The turf is old downland, topsoil laid on a bed of chalk and flint, causing good drainage and as it has not been ploughed or grazed for generations, it retains an enviable mat of grass and roots to aid the going in all weathers.
23 April 1947
Blown away
The first meeting was held under the auspices of the RA Saddle Club on 23 April 1947. It rained incessantly, the wind reached gale force and all the tents, with the exception of the dressing and weighing rooms, were blown away!! The meeting was a financial disaster!
Despite this difficult start, General Heath and his right hand man Lieutenant Rollo Baker made plans to lease the course out to local hunts. At this point “bone fide” meetings were abolished by the Jockey Club and so there were no further RA Saddle Club meetings.
1948
The RA Hunt
The RA Hunt met there in 1948 and 1949 and in 1950 the first United Services meeting was held. This was a direct descendant of the RA Saddle Club meeting and was joined at Larkhill in 1994 by the Army meeting thus fulfilling, in some way the original idea of the founders of the racecourse. In 2011 the United Services and Army meeting were merged as a direct result of the drawdown of the military and consequently the Defence companies who had traditionally sponsored them.
21 February 1953
A royal visit
On the 21 February 1953, HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh attended the United Services meeting and presented them with the Coronation Cup to the winner of the Open Race. This cup was presented to the race committee by the Officers of the Royal Artillery.
