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190:, the lessees of the racecourse announced the closure of the racecourse as a temporary measure. Outdated facilities and the delay of a project to build houses on part of the site were given as the reasons for the closure. It was announced that a final decision would be made in 2013. Folkestone held its last scheduled meeting on 18 December 2012.
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The racecourse was established in 1898. The first meeting took place over two days on 30 and 31 March 1898. The first day saw a six race card of three steeplechases, two hurdle races, and the opening two mile Maiden
National Hunt Flat Race Plate won by Summer Lightning. The Victoria History of Kent
202:
Council include the racecourse area for building houses in a development known as
Otterpool Garden Town. By December 2017 much of the racecourse infrastructure had fallen into disrepair and there was no prospect of any resumption of racing at the venue. A planning application for 8,500 homes was
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The racecourse was first used by aviation when a flying meeting was held in
September 1910. Three aircraft were present, watched by a large crowd. Between 1940 and 1941 the racecourse was used as a decoy airfield with dummy aircraft placed to look like an active airfield. On 23 April 1944
134:. The course remains closed and all running rail and steeplechase fences have been removed. In May 2016 it was revealed that the land covered by the racecourse forms part of a plan to develop and build housing. It is now unkempt and in a state of disrepair.
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provided free carriage for horses and their attendants to the race meetings; this led to good size fields for the races, but the lower expense for owners meant that poorer quality race horses competed. In 1907, there were five days of racing under both
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It was a right-handed undulating oval of nearly 1 mile 3 furlongs with a home straight of 2½ furlongs and a straight 6 furlongs. The inner steeplechase course of 1 mile 2 furlongs, had 7 fences. It was on this course in 1975 that
175:, the journalist and television commentator suffered serious injuries in a fall which ended his riding career. The centre of the course is farmed, and has a reservoir fed by a pumping station on the west side of the oval. The
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rescue flying boat left
Westenhanger for France. The airfield was then restored back to use as a racecourse. Rubble from wartime buildings can be seen on the north side of the straight course where it meets the oval.
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submitted to the
Council in February 2019, with a plan for a phased development over 30 years. Plans for the Otterpool garden town were approved in April 2023.
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single-engined liaison aircraft and used the racecourse to practise operations with local army units. On 12 July 1944 the squadron of 12 Austers escorted by a
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Arena
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The history of the
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river runs along the western edge of the oval and under the straight course.
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venue in southeast
England, until it closed in 2012. It is located in
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398:"Folkestone Racecourse holds 'last' horse racing meeting"
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Action
Stations Revisited, Volume 3 South East England
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150:can still be seen next to the main grandstand.
376:"Hereford and Folkestone racecourses to close"
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354:. London: Channel 4 Books. 1998. p. 81.
351:The Channel Four Racing guide to Racecourses
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507:A pictorial look back at the racecourse,
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493:Folkestone Racecourse (Official website)
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130:and about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of
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1245:Defunct horse racing venues in England
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321:– via British Newspaper Archive.
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468:. Crecy Publishing Ltd. p. 304.
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1097:List of British National Hunt races
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400:. BBC News. 18 December 2012.
364:– via Internet Archive.
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503:Course guide on At The Races
283:. Kent Online. 20 March 2019
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441:(Retrieved 6 May 2013)
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310:Birmingham Daily Post
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116:Folkestone Racecourse
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146:. The 14th century
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285:. Retrieved
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509:Kent Online
424:29 December
418:Racing Post
173:Lord Oaksey
161:Jockey Club
144:King Canute
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71:Screened on
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649:Huntingdon
619:Cheltenham
378:. BBC News
260:References
226:Use by RAF
177:East Stour
163:rules and
132:Folkestone
30:Folkestone
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527:1°2′1″E
382:27 July
220:Netflix
138:History
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384:2012
356:ISBN
319:2023
289:2019
186:and
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