Where was Hurst Park Racecourse?

Hurst Park Racecourse, which staged its final meeting on October 10, 1962, was situated at Moulsey Hurst in West Molesey, Surrey, on the banks of the River Thames, approximately 12 miles from London. Hurst Park was built as a replacement for Hampton Racecourse, which closed permanently in 1887 after the Jockey Club refused to renew its licence.

Under the auspices of the Hurst Park Syndicate Limited, formed expressly for the purpose, the original, unenclosed Hampton site was extended onto nearby meadowland to create an enclosed course befitting a Flat racing licence. Thus, Hurst Park staged its first National Hunt fixture in March, 1890 and its first Flat fixture a year later.

In 1913, Hurst Park was famously the scene of an arson attack by two suffragettes, Kitty Marion and Clara Giveen, who were subsequently charged with causing damage worth £10,000, tried, found guilty and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with hard labour. From 1939 onwards, Hurst Park was home to the Triumph Hurdle, which was transferred to Cheltenham in 1965, three years after the closure of Hurst Park, and is now a Grade 1 contest run on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival. Hurst Park remained a popular venue until its closure, but its owners ultimately decided ultimately decided that they could make more money from property development, rather than horse racing, on the site.