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Glorious
Goodwood The new millennium sees Goodwood Racecourse celebrate its third centenary, the third Duke of Richmond having brought horse racing to his estate in 1802. Today, Goodwood is internationally acclaimed as being one of the most beautiful in the world and the new era sees Goodwood setting ever higher standards for members and guests. Set on top of the Sussex Downs, Goodwood is not only a breathtaking backdrop for some of the very finest flat racing, but it is also one of the world’s greatest venues for entertaining in international sport. Goodwood hosts 21 days of top class horseracing during the season when jockeys and horses from around the world battle it out. There are few moments in sport to equal the thrill of a superb field making that final sprint to the winning post Goodwood is world-class horseracing at its most relaxed and chic. Racing was introduced to Goodwood by the third Duke of Richmond out of a sense of obligation to the officers of the Sussex Militia, of which he was the Colonel, rather than any devotion to the Turf. For many years the officers had held their annual races in nearby Petworth Park, courtesy of the Earl of Egremont, but when that capricious nobleman did not renew the invitation in 1801, The Duke of Richmond came to their rescue by laying out a course on that part of the Goodwood Estate known as The Harroway. So pleased was the Duke with the popularity of that first two-day meeting that he organised a three-day meeting under Jockey Club Rules the following year. On the first day he won with a horse called Cedar, but on the third day Cedar was beaten by Trumpator, owned by the Prince of Wales, later King George IV. To accommodate the more distinguished guests the Duke had a small wooden stand erected. The first Duke of Richmond, was an illegitimate son of Charles II and Louise de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth. His grandson, the founder of the Goodwood meeting, was a man of taste and considerable talent. He was one of the earliest patrons of George Stubbs, a frequent visitor to Goodwood, and as Master General of the Ordinance, he commissioned the first ordnance survey maps, still in use today. Goodwood’s popularity as a venue for horse racing began to grow rapidly, particularly after the Second World War during which there had been no racing on the course. In 1953, 55,000 spectators were there for the Tuesday of the July Meeting (still at that time the only fixture staged at Goodwood – an August meeting had been held from 1946 to 1948, but had then been dropped from the programme), with no less than 21,000 on the slopes of Trundle Hill. That figure has not been surpassed since, but the demand for racing at this most scenic of courses led to the introduction of three additional fixtures in 1965, two in August and one in September. The May meeting was brought in in 1968, while in 1970 the July Meeting was extended to five days with the addition of the Saturday. In June 1985 an evening meeting was staged for the first line The Racecourse has undergone some important changes since that time. Until 1967 horses pulled up running up Trundle Hill, during which time the Parade Ring was positioned behind what is now the Charlton Stand. In 1976, however, the Parade Ring was moved to the south side of the Racecourse behind the March Stand. At the same time, the Weighing Room, which had previously been in the old Charlton building, was relocated to the north side of the Parade Ring. This involved moving the old road south of the racecourse
The next phase of redevelopment occurred in 1989 with the opening of the new Charlton Stand, followed in 1990 by the opening of the Sussex Stand at the July Meeting by Peter (now Sir Peter) O’Sullivan, O.B.E. The Sussex Stand won a commendation from The Royal Fine Arts Commission. In 1995 the Bentinck Conservatory was built. With its panoramic views of the Isle of Wight, it seats 180 people and acts as a dining offshoot of the Bentinck Bar. Goodwood’s evening meetings, remain enormously popular. 1995 saw the staging of Goodwood’s first Sunday race meeting following the legalisation of Sunday betting. The fixture took place on August 27, the Sunday of the August Bank Holiday. This brought the total number of racedays at Goodwood to a then record 19. A further new fixture in June brought that total to 20 in 1997. In May 1999, Goodwood Racecourse held the inaugural running of the Blue Square Shergar Cup in May. The introduction of a new Sunday fixture in October brings the total number of racedays in the year to 21 days. The present Duke of Richmond, who trained as an accountant, and his son Lord March ensure that the Goodwood Estate as a whole is enjoyed and utilised to its fullest potential, but it is the racecourse which remains the jewel of his family’s inheritance. King Charles II established the headquarters of English racing upon the stark magnificence of Newmarket Heath. By way of complete contrast, his descendants, the Dukes of Richmond, created the most beautiful racecourse in the country amidst the tranquillity of the vividly undulating countryside overlooking the sparkling waters of Chichester Harbour.
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The old
Stand was demolished after the July Meeting of 1979 and replaced
by the present March Stand which won the annual Concrete Society
Award. It was opened in 1980, the Queen unveiling the bronze horse
work created by the famous sculptress, Dame Elizabeth Frink. The
architect, Sir Philip Dowson, is now president of the Royal
Academy.