Earliest meeting: September 1718
Final meeting: Friday 9th July 1773
The first evidence of racing at the County Durham town of Barnard Castle was in 1718 when a bay horse called Millbank contested the Barnard Castle Plate for £25. However, Baily’s Racing Register first provided detailed results from races held at Barnard Castle in August 1729 on a course situated on Pearson Moor. Racing continued on an annual basis until a 3 day meeting in 1773 when Nutcracker, owned by Mr Fenwick, won the final £50 race. There were attempts to reintroduce racing at Barnard Castle on the Pearson Moor course, firstly in 1840 when two Innkeepers organised meetings which continued for a short time, and secondly in 1925 when less successful. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr Lambton, George Bowes, Henry Vane |
| Principal Races |
Barnard Castle Gold Cup, Barnard Castle 4 Year Old Plate |
Monday 8th August 1729 |
Barnard Castle 4 Year Old Plate
1. Sloven owned by Mr Hutton
2. Miss Hewet owned by Mr Howes
3. Credo owned by Mr Robinson |
Tuesday 21st to Friday 24th August 1733 |
George Bowes Purse run over 2 miles
1. Sprightly owned by Mr Lambton
2. Unnamed mare owned by Mr Croft
3. Brignol owned by Mr Dun
The winner wore White and was ridden by Charles Jackson. |
14th & 15th July 1768 |
Barnard Castle 4 year old Purse run over 2 miles
1. North Briton owned by Mr Coates
2. Tenduc II owned by Mr Coulson
3. Lucetta owned by Mr Hutton
Bardnard Castle 4 mile Weight for Age Handicap
1. Lofty owned by Mr Hutton
2. Hyaena owned by Mr Shafto
3. Nisa owned by Mr Cornforth |
| The final meeting took place on Friday 9th July 1773 |
| Course today |
There were attempts to reintroduce racing to Barnard Castle on the Pearson Moor course. Firstly in 1840 when racing did continue for a short time, and again in 1925 which was less successful. |
| If you have photos, postcards, racecards. badges, newspaper cuttings or book references about the old course, or can provide a photo of how the ground on which the old racecourse stood looks today, then email johnwslusar@gmail.com |
Much of the information about this course has been found using internet research and is in the public domain. However, useful research sources have been:-
London Illustrated News
Racing Illustrated 1895-1899
The Sporting & Dramatic Illustrated
Northern Turf History Volumes 1-4 by J.Fairfax-Blakeborough
The Sporting Magazine
A Long Time Gone by Chris Pitt first published in 1996 ISBN 0 900599 89 8
Racing Calendars which were first published in 1727 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3
652 pages
774 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0
352 pages
400 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7
180 pages
140 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4
264 pages
235 former courses |
| Copies of the above books are only available by emailing johnwslusar@gmail.com stating your requirements, method of payment (cheque payable to W.Slusar) or Bank transfer, and the address where the book(s) should be sent. |
| ORDER FORM |
| Download an order form |
| |
Quantity |
Cost |
| Volume 1 North of Hatfield £19.99 + £4 postage |
|
|
| Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage |
|
|
| Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage |
|
|
| Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage |
|
|
| Volumes 1 - 4 £54.96 + £5 postage |
|
|
| Postage & Packaging |
|
|
| Total |
|
|
| Email order form to johnwslusar@gmail.com |
|