Island Life Magazine Ltd October/ November 2012 | Page 93

EQUESTRIAN
were held on Rew Down overlooking
Wroxall.
It has not been possible to establish
how the course at Ashey was acquired
from the owner of West Ashey Farm.
In 1881 Mr George Young, who had
made a fortune as a Corn Factor in
London before coming to the Island,
owned the farm. Young had seen his
fortune erode, and it may have been
a reason for him to agree to lease the
fields. The presence of the railway
with its station would have been an
important factor in deciding to try and
establish a course at Ashey, with the
added benefit of easy transport of both
horses and spectators to the course.
A large number of the participating
horses came from the mainland on
barges towed from Portsmouth to
Horse Boat Slip at Ryde and were
stabled in Ryde until taken by train to
Ashey Station.
The first Hunt and County and
Castle Club meetings at Ashey took
place in 1883, held under Grand
National Hunt Rules and called ‘The
United Isle of Wight Race Meetings’.
They continued until April 1900
before the Club withdrew from
promotion of the Ashey Races and
the Hunt took over responsibility for
holding a two-day meeting, usually in
the Spring.
A company named Ashey Ltd was
formed and acquired the freehold of
the Racecourse certainly before 1908.
Four years later Ashey Ltd granted a
tenancy of their land to Albert Hallett
at a rent of £75 per year – this was

The Prophesy comes true, 1978

Mr. A.W. Dabell on 'Trooper', Miss A.Warman, Howard Johnson, Mr.T.Cockram

subject to the track being clear of
cattle and sheep at the time of the race
meetings.
One of the features of the course was
that part of the track ran behind a
copse out of sight of the Grandstand
and stewards – it was often stated
that this was where unusual tactics
occurred!
The races were soon established as
a popular day out not only for the
hunting fraternity but also for the
‘townies’ with well-advertised special
trains being run from Ryde and
Newport. The races were advertised in
the local papers by the promoters as
did well known mainland race course
bookmakers. At that time cash betting
was only lawful on the race course!

There are reports of &