The sport of Kings first came to Cardiff's Ely Racecourse in 1855. But horse racing was not entirely new to the town.
Ely Racecourse was in direct line of descent from the old racecourse at Heath Farm, which on the Cardiff map of 1840 appears to be almost as big as the two parishes that at the time made up Cardiff.
Ely Racecourse owed its beginnings to the sporting land owners and hunting folk of Glamorgan, such as the Williamses, Homfrays, Lindsays and Copes who were to form the Cardiff Race Club.
When the Welsh Grand National was held at Ely in 1895, the crowd was so big that they broke down the entrance to the shilling gate, and the police had a hard time in preventing the gatecrashers from obtaining free admission.
The following year some 40,000 race-goers turned up to see the 1892 Grand National winner Father O'Flynn take on the legendary 1893 Grand National winner Cloister.
Many famous jockeys graced the Ely Turf. The famed Anthony and Rees brothers, Evan Williams, Dudley Williams, Bruce Hobbs, Fred Rimell, Fulke Walwyn to name just a few.
As for the equine heroes, Golden Miller, Kirkland and Brown Jack were just three of them.
There was a great ovation for local amateur rider David Thomas when he won the Welsh Grand National on his own mare Miss Balscadden in 1928.
Sadly, Ely Racecourse closed on 27 April 1939 - the last race being won by Lester Piggott's father Keith Piggott on Dunbarney. No longer would crowds flock there to witness the riding skills of some of the greatest National Hunt jockeys.
In 1953 the old racecourse was officially opened as Cardiff's biggest recreation centre, and houses were built on part of the racecourse not used for sporting facilities.
Read Viv Jones' account of growing up in ElyRead more memories of Cardiff in days gone by
your comments
Alan Canning, St Helens, Merseyside
I played on the racecourse for a number of teams in the fifties. I remember after our games had finished it was a trek back to the dressing rooms (nissen huts) and then a slog to the showers where the water was always cold. But I would do it all again.
Andrew Musgrave, Caerphilly
Spent many weekends as a kid in the late 60's and early 70's at my grandparents in Heol Eglwys. Remember well the hot summer days when my grandmother would take my cousins and I playing over the racecourse. Refering to Dave from New Orleans comment; My father (Victor) still reminds me of the times when baseball used to draw big crowds in Cardiff and especially of the games he would play at Roath Park. He used to play and bowl for St Francis in the main at around the time you were watching.
Phil from Rhoose
Like Bill I also attended Glan Ely High in the late 60s the PE teacher he was talking about was Mr Barkley, and yes he never ran. It was a god send when they opened the bard - does anybody remember the "Brunos", the strip of land on Greenfarm Road where the park? We spent many hours riding our bikes across it.
Pieter Sonke, Bridgend
In 1945 we lived on ely racecoourse in an old army hut - we were called squatters. We later moved to a new council house in Cwrt y rala Road, later Heol Trelia. I went to Windsor Clive Secondary Modern Scool and we used to have to walk to the racecourse for our weekly games period. By the time we got there many of us were to tired for any exercise - that was between 1954/1958. Many happy memories of growing up in Ely.
Richy, Ely
I bet it was great to see race horses racing round the park. All I see now is motorbikes racing round in between the broken park benches. Still at least it is still green and not built on.
K Hardiman
I lived in Dyfrig Road when I was a kid. Playing over the race course, farm drive and river making rafts and swings, tree climbing over the golf course. Not to mention sliding down the quarry on my arse. The whole place was packed with kids - great days, the 70s.
Henry Barrow from Caerphilly
I played football regularly on Ely Racecourse in the late fifties for my Boy's Brigade company. It always seemed to be freezing and, for most of the season, covered in snow. As a youngster I lived for a few years in Lansdowne Avenue West, Canton, and can clearly remember the barrage balloon rising above the railway embankment in front of our house, disgorging its parachutists and being hauled back down again. My late father-in-law was a member of the Royal Observer Corps in the sixties and was based in the old RAF camp in Caerau Lane.
Tara, Caerau
It's a shame Ely is no longer known for its rich racing history - just the violence of a minority of people who have destroyed it for everyone else. I don't know many people who know about the race course unless I tell them about it.
Diane Young nee Worley, Rhoose Point
Does anyone who attended Heol Trelai primary school 1956/57 remember being relocated to Millbank School, the other side of the Racecourse, for their last year before secondary school? We were in classes of 40 or more and being primed for the 11+ examinations. Was it Mr Cross who taught us in 4A? Other names I remember - David Price and Ian Mcdonald the swots. Girls I walked to school with accross the old racecourse/school playing fields, were Valerie Notley,Angela Venn, Barbara Ashton and Lorraine Millward. Fond memories of the Art Teacher Mr Smitham at the Trelai site! We all loved him.
Janet (Peddie) from Swansea
I moved from Grangetown where my dad always took me to watch the baseball at the Tan - and then went to Windsor Clive and my cousins lived on Cyntwell Place. We used to have rarers playing at the racecourse in the 1950's and early 60's. And also the woods - we'd go 'camping' for a day and make fantastic rope swings from the trees. Most definitely not up to Health & Safety these days.
Bob Elston, Sydney, Aussie
Lived in Bishopston Road (was Number 2 Road before it had a name) in the 50s, with the Wheatsheaf sports ground at the bottom of the garden. The house was newly built and the guys who helped build the school lodged at our place for a time. Think the White family were opposite us.
Raymond Berriman
I lived and was born in Heol Eglwys where my parents still live. Dad 82 and Mum 73. I went to Heol Trelai primary and was surprised it is now no longer there but it was falling down even back in the early 60's. My father was well into rugby, caerau in particular. My grandfather Bill was a legend in the West End Club walk apparently. Used to think us youngsters didn't really try as he kept winning. Do vaguely remember the old sheds and of course the parkies! If any still about, I am sorry, I was not really naughty and never broke anything!
David Evans, Australia, ex Cardiff
To Colin Parson - the mate I mentioned was Malcolm Taylor, he lived in Canton. The area where he and many others drowned was always known as The Weir.
Rosalie Evans from Grasse (France)
Reading your comments and anecdotes has brought back some very happy memories. I lived in Grand Avenue (corner of Snowden Road). I played baseball for Hywel Dda Primary school (sometimes at the racecourse) and later, for Canton Athletic Club. I went to Cardiff High (1953-61). Although I lived quite far from the racecourse, I spent a lot of time there. I remember the barrage balloons and the parachutists, the woods where I wandered gathering bluebells and lillies of the valley (even though my parents warned me not to). Sometimes, I played tennis on the hard courts (anyone remember Mike Gee who was also a good baseball player?). After tennis, I remember sitting on a broken bench with my friends and talking about the future and how we would change the world. I was also an active member of the Ely Methodist Youth Club (near the racecourse) where I played badminton, netball and table tennis. The responsible was Mr Miles, such a nice person. I have such vivid memories of Ely and the racecourse. I go there sometimes when I return to Cardiff but it's so different now as, of course, so many other places, but the memories are still there and will be until the end.
Colin Parsons in Coventry, England
To David Evans in Australia - about your 'memories of Ely Racecourse'. You mention a mate drowning at Llandaff weir. My uncle, Colin Richards, drowned in the River Taff in c.1947 at the age of about ten - was he the friend? Another contemporary remembering the incident, says it happened at 'Monkey Rocks'. Was the weir known as that, or do you remember that as somewhere different? Are there any newspaper reports of the tragic drowning(s)?
Roy Coombs, Caerphilly
I played on the racecourse baseball for Ninian Rovers in 1939 for Ninian Park Boys School every Saturday. My father was a referee, Jack Coombs, and he refereed matches between Penylan and Roath Park and Splott Welsh Baseball League and held the meetings in the Culverhouse Cross pub. Those were the days.
Phillip Bond, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
I remember playing rugby there many times and my father telling me the history of the racecourse.
Darren Wall
As a lad I remember the old wooden huts now knocked down to make way for a modern big yellow building changing rooms, and as a young lad I lived in the bungalow off Colin Way which has now been knocked down and cleared away due to being burnt down.
Carl Britton, Caerau, Ely
I remember picking magic mushrooms on the race course and then going back to Glyn Derw High School. They were the days,
Tom Dungey , Rhoose Point
I grew up in Heol Pant-Y-Deri and went to Heol Trelai from 1953 then Cyntwell 1959-1964. I spent many of my formative years over Ely racecourse playing around the stands and dungeons. I remember the barrage balloons and parachutists from the nearby RAF camp at Caerau Lane. The dog trials are also vividly imprinted on my mind. Old friends contact me.
John, Cardiff
Although coming from Ninian Park Road (Riverside) I had a friend whose dad took over the Bridge Inn so spent lots of time at Ely Racecourse. I can remember the old stands and the rugby changing rooms. We certainly suffered for our sport. I played a few seasons for Ely RFC (based at the Bridge Inn). Like several of your contributers I went to Canton High (1961 -1969) and joined the school in the last year at Market Road. I didn't think the tennis courts were too bad at the Racecourse but perhaps that says more about my tennis skills than anything. My best memories of the Racecourse were in the snow of (I think) 1963 when the snowdrifts seemed 6ft high. Excellent snowball fights!
Michael Sheeley, Grand Avenue
I can remember my dad working in Ely Hospital and we would walk to the race course and up to St Mary's Church bottle collecting. Now it's all gone - houses and shops and a new updated fire station. Why do they have to keep building over the way people can walk to their past memory?
Marie Wakefield nee Williams
My family moved into Haverford Way, Ely in 1949 when I was two and my Sister Barbara was eight. I attanded Heol Trelia schools and then Glyn Derw. We used to play over at the racecourse, and I remember seeing barage balloon over the streets when it wasn't tied down at the top of the road on spare ground.
Audrey Davis, Abergavenny
I well remember having Scarlet Fever in 1938 & being carted off by ambulance in a big red blanket to Ely Isolation hospital. I was there for 6 to 8 weeks & parents were not allowed to visit - only to look through the window. Rather scary for a little one eh? But I survived.
Sandra Herbert (nee Patterson), Leicester
I've just discovered this site and its brought back so many memories. I lived in Heol Poyston and went to Cwrt yr ala school and then Canton High 60-68. I love baseball which I played at Junior school (do they do that now, probably too dangerous!) and watched the big guys play on the racecourse. I also played tennis there.. grotty courts but beggars can't be choosers - that was the best there was! I walked back to Heol Poyston which then seemed miles! All these years later I never knew it was a REAL racecourse!
White Cardiff
My Familly lived in Bishopston Road from 1947 when i believe the houses were built untill 1966. My Uncle ( Andrews )also worked in the Brick works in Ely quarry
John Hurst from Bristol
I lived in cyntwell Place from 1954 to 1960. I went to Hywell Dda school and it was always a delight to go to the Racecourse to play or keep score at Rounders. I remember well playing Winsor Clive and winning by a hair.In the school holidays we used the Racecourse and woods as our playground. I later went to Canton High School(1956-1960)
simon matthews, cardiff
i was raised in littlecroft avenue, a stone's throw from the racecourse, a fantastic place to grow up. one memory i have is of me and my mates going to watch cardiff city. we would walk across the racecourse and then shin across the pipe bridge that spanned ely river. great times.
Keith Underdown
I grew up in Kilgetty Close and went to school at Trelai CP and Canton High School. Trelai's fields merged into the race course. I played football there on Saturday afternoons for my Boys Brigade Company (4th Cardiff). I wasn't very good! I remember the parachutists. They were a demonstration team that would jump from a static balloon. There was always great excitement when we saw the mysterious silver object rising above the rooftops at some point during the summer holidays.
Dave, New Orleans
I remember back in the early fifties when baseball was real big in Cardiff and a couple of hundred people used to turn up for games at the racecourse. But on the weekends the same people used to walk up to Culverhouse Cross to watch the traffic coming back from Barry Island. Gone are the days lol
Stephen Marshall from Ireland
I went to Glan Ely 68-76. I can remember playing soccer for Avenue Hotspurs at the racecourse. The wooden sheds were the dressing rooms. I also spent many a day on the mitch from school knocking a football around there.
Gareth Riseborough of Cardiff
I was raised in Green Croft Ave right next to the racecourse. one of my favourite memories was the weekend we found a 12foot cable drum in the quarry. after kicking out some planks so we could get inside, we spent many hours pushing it up the hill, then riding it down again. this was in the second half of the 70s.
Bob Howe
I was at Canton High School then at Market Road from 1940-45. We used to play rugby at the racecourse where there was then a heavy anti-aircraft battery - manned by men and women. We once had to shelter in the ditch during an air raid when the battery opened fire.
Bill, Caerphilly
I went to Glan Ely High late 60s early 70s.
Rugby was always played at the race course,
cold showers and rain. Our sports master thought it was a good warm up to run around the race course twice. Funny but I cannot remember him running around it but then again I wish I was that young again.
Geoff Harris, Melbourne, Australia
I went to Canton High School, 1960-65. When the new school was being built at Fairwater we played Rugby at Ely Racecourse.
My memories include running from the Nissan hut showers in the freezing snow to the changeroom, playing rugby on hard ice and the boys from the home running off with our ball.
Lorraine Hewitson( Parker) from Cardiff
I used to live in Dyfrig Road and our house backed on to the Race Course, I remember the sheep dog trials taking place there, and as a member of Ely Methodist youth club in the late 50s we played baseball there.I can also remember falling down the quarry at Ely Woods because I was looking up at the parachuting, there was a concrete building in the woods which we used to say was the dungeons and we were to scared to look in side.
David Evans in Australia, ex Canton
I used to go to the racecourse as a child with friends and being wicked I would take some bread with me and put it on top of the jumps thinking the horse might see it as it was jumping over the jump, see the bread, put his head down to eat it and throw the jockey. I said I was wicked.
I have so many memories of Cardiff ... having to get out of our house after an air raid as an unexploded land mine had its parachute caught on the gutters of the roof (Ninian Park Rd) or swimming at Llandaff weir where my mate drowned, or jumping and running on the logs at the Float.
Audrey Gregory(Edwards) Canada
We moved into oour council house when I was 11, I left there when I was 25, so have lots of good memories. We all thought the parachute jumping was great. Also Ely woods were our playground, we used to go picking Bluebells and Primroses and bring home armfuls, also Hazelnuts off the trees.
Bishopston Road school gym was used as a youth club run by Mr.Blain, anyone remember him?
Also who remembers the tramp who lived in the field opposite Helo Trelai? He was known as Tanner bit and we got threatened with him if we were bad...
Edd McCluskey--Grangetown
I can remember growing up in Ely homes (next to the Ely Hospital)and also recollect the large Wooden stand that was once there, and also the nissan huts back and alongside the course, one of which housed the local Army Cadet unit which I joined and had many a happy memory joining in the exercises run over the huge expanse of open ground--does anyone remember "Dobin?" the horse in the enclosure to the right of the racecourse,It must have been 1959 when I was 14 yrs old.-ah memories.
Ken Hewett
Windsor Clive School never had playing fields of it's own. So football and rugby practise were held on the racecourse. If you were not good enough for either you were sent to play on the council pitch and putt course.
When I left school I played football for a local team, hated pitch no. thirteen, what a slope!
Rob Cardiff
Still should be a racecourse, Ely would be then be known throughout the sporting world.
John O'Sullivan, Cardiff
The history of St Patrick's School, Grangetown, tells how the 'brick yard' pupils in the 19th century always played truant from school when races were being held at Ely. They were mainly Irish upimgsters known as the 'brick yard' kids as they also missed school to work in the local brickworks to earn pennies for their poverty stricken families.
Daveinnola
Valerie's comments (see below) brought back momories of the paras jumping out of a barage ballon on the race course - also the flak site behind Ely hospital.
Valerie from Melbourne, Australia
Ely Racecourse is where I chased my brother and sister and ended up catching my future husband. The racecourse was staging a display of (I think) parachuting. We have been married for nearly fifty years now and have fond memories of happy days there.
Steve Leach from Newport
Many years ago my familly lived in Nesta Road and my late father Reg used to tell me a story about Ely Race Course that would win a few bets. Ask the question "When did Christmas Day fall on Easter Monday?" Apparently a horse called Christmas Day fell in a race at Ely Race course held on an Easter Monday.
