Earliest meeting: Friday 11th April 1890
Final meeting: Thursday 13th April 1905
The South Wold Hunt Group first organised races in April 1821, although it was not until 1833 that the results were widely reported in the Sporting Magazine. In 1838 they joined forces with Louth to jointly organise steeplechase meetings, a relationship which was to last for over 70 years. In 1890 the Committee sought a change of venue from their two well-used courses and opted for a course just a mile from Louth in Brackenborough. Lying just 2 miles from Louth, the hamlet of Brackenborough has a long, illustrious history being mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086; it also boasts the grade II listed Brackenborough Hall which dates back to the early 17th century. The inaugural meeting was held on Friday 11th April 1890 on a course which had a circumference of a mile and a half and was left handed with a furlong and a half run in. South Wold Hunt steeplechases continued to be held at the ‘new’ Louth course and at nearby Horncastle, ending at Horncastle in 1903 and at Brackenborough in 1905. The final meeting at Brackenborough was staged on Thursday 13th April 1905 when the Open Steeplechase was won by Mr J Broadley’s Hailstone, while the day finished with the Keddington Chase won by Marmoset II for Mr A J Browne. However, the final South Wold Hunt meeting under rules was at Louth on Thursday 1st April 1909.

Wednesday 11th September 1833

Southwold Town Plate over 2 miles
1. Lady Charlotte owned by Mr Munro
2. Unnamed colt by Oscar owned by Lady Berner

Southwold Hunters Stakes over 2 miles
1. Ploughboy owned by Mr Smith
2. Young Tristram owned by Mr Pierson
3. Atlas owned by Mr Blake

Thursday 10th March 1836

Louth Stakes
1. Bumpkin owned by Mr W Whiteworth
2. Heathen owned by Mr Nicholson
3. Madcap owned by Mr Grantham

Thursday 13th April 1905
South Wold Hunt Cup
1. Warpaint, aged horse owned by Mr W Chatterton
2. Gene Monsoon, aged horse owned by Mr W H Taylor
3. Post Card, aged horse owned by Mr W E Cartwright

A 1 ½ mile left handed course with 1 ½ furlong run in situated 2 miles from Louth.

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