Video and report: Fontwell Park's 100 years of jump racing is celebrated in style

It was on May 21, 1924, when the first races were held at the venue – and on Thursday afternoon and evening, a fine day’s celebrations were staged to mark the milestone.

Special guests from the world of racing and from the community, plus others with links to Fontwell’s past, were invited to a dinner in the Premier Restaurant that overlooks the course – the perfect viewpoint for a spring evening of seven races.

There were musicians and Charleston dancers around the site and a marquee featuring an exhibition telling the story of Fontwell’s century proved popular among racegoers, put together expertly by racing author and historian Jim Beavis and Will Lefebve, whose father Len rode in the very first race held at the track a century ago.

Fontwell executive director Guy Pridie – whose interview with us you can see in the video player above – said it was a day to celebrate Fontwell Park’s place in the racing world and in the West Sussex community.

A charity auction was held in aid of Racing Welfare and locally based charity Dementia Support.

On the track, there were seven races for a decent-sized crowd to enjoy – and the list of the evening’s winning trainers included Nicky Henderson, Sussex’s Gary Moore, Neil Mulholland, and with a double, James Owen – who saw jockey Alex Chadwick ride back-to-back winners for him.

Among those present in the Premier Grandstand were former Fontwell chief Phil Bell, who was in charge of the course when the stand was built just over a decade ago and is now regional director for the south and south-west for Fontwell owners Arena Racing Company.

Bell said it was wonderful to see so many former friends and colleagues from his days there – and great to see the track looking in splendid condition as it celebrated turning 100.

Fontwell Park Racecourse founder Alfred Day first opened doors to the public in 1924, and today it is the only remaining figure of eight jumps course in the country.

Over the years, Fontwell Park has welcomed members of the Royal Family. Most notably, Queen Elizabeth II (then Princess Elizabeth) attended Fontwell Park in 1949 when her horse, Monaveen, the only horse she jointly owned with the Queen Mother, won the Chichester Handicap Chase – marking her first win as an owner.

In its 100-year history Fontwell has seen many Grand National, Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle winners run and win. Two dual Champion Hurdlers to win at Fontwell Park were National Spirit, after whom the biggest race is named, and Comedy Of Errors, who gives his name to one of the racecourse’s grandstands.

Some horses are particularly well suited to the unique figure-of-eight layout on the chase course, and this is why there have been remarkable course specialists over the years. The record holder is Certain Justice, who in the 1960s won 14 races here. In the 90s St Athans Lad won 11 times in just 14 months.

See more from the Centenary Raceday on the new Observer app in the days to come.