Earliest meeting: Tuesday 4th April 1843
Final meeting: Thursday 18th April 1867
Racing first took place in the Durham town of Birtley on Tuesday 4th April 1843. It was the brainchild of Mr Hunt and Mr Manners, who ran the Birtley Iron Company, and the course started near the Red Lion Inn and went towards Urpeth. Racing continued in the area until the final meeting in 1867, caused in the main because of the Team Valley Railway line cutting through the course. The final meeting on Thursday 18th April 1867 was organised in conjunction with the Harriers’ Hunt Committee, and the feature race, the Harriers’ Hunt Cup, went to Mr C Curay’s The Owl. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr Hunt, Mr Manners, Mr Butler |
| Principal Races |
Birtley Stakes, Harriers Hunt Cup |
Tuesday 4th April 1843 |
Birtley Stakes
1. Albert owned by Mr Butler
The winner was ridden by Captain Broadley |
Thursday 18th April 1867
The Harriers’ Hunt Cup over 3 miles
1. The Owl, bay gelding owned by Mr C Curay
2. Yellow Diamond, chestnut gelding owned by Mr W Miller
3. Sunflower, brown mare owned by Mr F W Richardson |
Racing continued in the area until the final meeting in 1867, caused in the main because of the Team valley Railway line cutting through the course. |
| Course today |
The land now is covered by a modern housing estate, Low Urpeth Farm, with Urpeth woods on the outskirts. |
| 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 |
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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 |
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| Volume 1 North of Hatfield £19.99 + £4 postage |
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| Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volumes 1 - 4 £54.96 + £5 postage |
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