Earliest meeting: Monday 29th May 1732
Final meeting: Tuesday 6th September 1870
The earliest meeting at the Hertfordshire town of Barnet took place on Monday 29th May 1732, closely followed by a 2-day meeting just 4 months later. Twenty years later a meeting coincided with the Barnet Fair in August 1751. The ‘Historical List of Horse-Matches Run in 1751’ recorded a 3 day meeting taking place in Barnet beginning on Wednesday 25th September 1751 when Slammerkin, owned by John Weaver, won both heats of the opening £50 Purse. These were Flat race meetings with periods of racing from 1793 to 1797, 1809 to 1815, and again from 1833 when racing was revived until 1858. In 1865 a National Hunt race meeting was held at Brook Hill Farm, the meeting taking place on 3rd November 1865. The original course was situated at Barnet Common, north of Mays Lane, but the common was enclosed in 1817 and the course moved a short distance to Barnet Fair. The Barnet St Leger Stakes was held on Wednesday 7th September 1836 when Edward, owned by Mr Stubbs, defeated Tiara and Water Nymph. Much earlier the artist George Stubbs had painted Barnet Race winner Molly Long Legs in 1761. The final meeting at Barnet was held on 6th September 1870 when the principal race was won by Poleaxe, owned by Mr Hodson. At that point in time the races finished at the current High Barnet railway station.
Monday 29th May 1732
Barnet 20 Guineas Give & Take
1. UNNAMED chestnut gelding owned by Mr Jacques
2. UNNAMED chestnut mare owned by Mr Brent
2 ran
Wednesday 13th September 1732
Barnet 20 Guineas Purse
1. SPAVIN-AND-CURBS, bay gelding owned by Mr Banks 1 1 1
2. CREEPING KATE, black mare owned by Mr Adcock 2 2 2
3. UNNAMED chestnut gelding owned by Mr Lightfoot dist
3 ran
Friday 15th September 1732
Barnet 10 Guineas Galloway Purse
1. UNNAMED bay mare owned by Mr Layton 1 1
2. SQUIRREL, chestnut horse owned by Mr Johnson 2 2
3. CROP, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Holmes dist
3 ran
Wednesday 25th September 1751
Barnet £50 Purse
1. Slamerkin, chestnut mare owned by Mr John Weaver 1 1
2. Long and Lazy, black gelding owned by Mr Robert Ireland 3 2
3. Molly Mogg, brown mare owned by Mr Stephen Trunk 2 dist
Thursday 26th September 1751
Barnet £50 Purse
1. Squirril (sic), bay gelding owned by Mr John Cammell 3 1 1
2. Smiling Molly, grey mare owned by Mr Martin 1 2 2
3. Whim, bay mare owned by Mr Smith 2 3 dist
Friday 27th September 1751
Barnet Hunters Purse of Gold
1. Rough Doll, chestnut mare owned by Mr Brown 1 1
2. Lotbario, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Robert Ireland 4 4 1
3. Badger, grey gelding owned by Mr Sparrow 3 3 2
4. Button, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Castle 2 2 dist
The picture below, from 1758, is one of a series of racehorse paintings by famous sporting artists, including Abraham Cooper, John Ferneley, John Frederick Herring, James Seymour, John Wootton and, perhaps most famous of them all, George Stubbs.
17th to 20th August 1762
Barnet 4 mile Purse
1. Aristotle owned by Mr Bladen
2. Tanner owned by Mr Harrison
3. Asmodius owned by Mr Crosoer
The winner won both heats to claim first prize.
Barnet 4 mile Give and Take
1. Tiney owned by Lord Portmore
2. Dart owned by Mr Douglas
3. Colin owned by Mr Quick
13th October 1762
Barnet 2 mile Match
Dainty Doll owned by Mr Compton
Black Eyes owned by Mr Rance
Wednesday 7th to Thursday 8th September 1836
The famously named St Leger Stakes took place on Wednesday 7th September 1836 and was run twice round the course and then the distance. The result was:-
1. EDWARD 4 years old 8st 7lb Owned by Mr Stubbs
2. TIARA 6 years old 9st 8lb Owned by Mr Bacon
3. WATER NYMPH 3 years old 7st 1lb Owned by Mr Mason
Also at the Wednesday meeting the records show that the Town Plate took place with the following result:-TOWN PLATE
1. CATALONIAN 6 years old 9st 4lb Owned by Mr Scott
2. SWALLOW 3 years old 7st 4lb Owned by Mr Firth
3. QUICKSILVER 5 years old 8st 8lb Owned by Mr East
The meeting extended to a second day on Thursday 8th September and included the Green Man Stakes where the winner was to be sold for 120 sovereigns. The result was:-GREEN MAN STAKES
1. TALLY-HO 6 years old 9st 9lb Owned by Mr Sadler
2. TIARA 6 years old 9st 8lb Owned by Mr Bacon
3. SWALLOW 3 years old 7st 4lb Owned by Mr Firth
The Thursday meeting also had a Tally Ho Stakes which was won by the Captain Beecher ridden Vandyke. He also went on to complete a double by riding his own Walter to victory in the Hack Stakes.
The final meeting at Barnet was held on 6th September 1870 when the principal race was won by Poleaxe, owned by Mr Hodson. At that point in time the races finished where High Barnet railway station is now situated.
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
