History Colombo Racecourse

1 history

1.1 horse racing
1.2 airstrip
1.3 decline
1.4 colombo racecourse sports complex

history
horse racing

officially opened horse racing in 1893 after moved colpitty race course, 1 of best in terms of design, facilities, , size in east. in 1922 totalisator installed becoming first race course in east have one.

the colombo turf club based here own pavilion , club house next grand stand.

airstrip

in late 1941 world war ii began in east. after fall of singapore royal navy s east indies station moved colombo , trincomalee. admiral sir geoffrey layton appointed commander-in-chief, ceylon air vice marshal john d albiac air officer commanding, no. 222 group raf based in ceylon. order given construct airfield @ colombo racecourse. d s senanayake, minister of agriculture , lands (later 1st prime minister of ceylon) given task of construction. consisting of single runway, station headquarters , officers mess set in bungalows in cinnamon gardens , serviced newly established military hospital in premises of royal college colombo.

colombo racecourse

two squadrons of royal air force based @ racecourse. no. 258 squadron raf hawker hurricanes , no. 11 squadron raf bristol blenheims. when easter sunday raid occurred japanese bombed raf units @ raf ratmalana yet passed on racecourse airstrip without knowing existed. allowed hurricanes of no. 11 squadron deploy , intercept japanese raiders.

the royal navy established royal naval air station (rnas) here during duration of war name hms bherunda. 882 naval air squadron based here.

decline

following end of war airfield dismantled, racecourse reconverted horse racing track. affected after gambling , betting banned in country in late 1950s. resulted in horse racing stopping in colombo thereafter.

the colombo racecourse, colombo turf club , grounds taken on government , large land extent segmented , distributed government entities. southern parts went university of colombo, northern portion department of national archives while others royal college sports complex, bloomfield cricket , athletic club , sporting bodies.

the grandstand , colombo turf club building neglected , used different purposes. sri lanka army used temporary garrison time time sri lanka air force used left racecourse grounds landing transport helicopters.

colombo racecourse sports complex

in 2011 urban development authority commenced renovation of grand stand , colombo turf club building. structures renovated 6th engineer services regiment , central engineering consultancy bureau. remaining grounds redeveloped sri lanka s first international grade rugby union grounds.