Today’s Historic Horse Racing Archive cards look remarkably similar to those in yesterday’s post. However today’s memories come from the Daily Mirror five years later – Saturday 17 August 1985.
The Geoffrey Freer Stakes was the highlight of the BBC televised meeting at Newbury. Ripon and Wolverhampton’s evening cards made excellent alternative flat offerings. Disappointingly, ITV screened only two races from the Ripon card. Clearly the wind down towards the forthcoming end of World of Sport in October was in full flow. Channel 4 Racing became the only source of turf action on commercial television in what were lean times for armchair viewers. Early season jumpers at Market Rasen and Bangor completed the day.
