CAPE HILL RACECOURSE

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Earliest meeting: Monday 15th October 1855
Final meeting: Tuesday 24th August 1869
The Birmingham area of Cape Hill is to the west of the city, north of Edgbaston and south of Smethwick. Although races are likely to have taken place at an earlier date, the first record of a meeting in the area was on Monday 15th October 1855 when pony races were staged on a one mile course off the Dudley Road. Races continued to be held intermittently for the next 14 years. In 1867 the races were so well supported that they held a two day meeting on Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th August, followed by an Autumn meeting in October. Meetings continued for each of the next two years, culminating in a final two day meeting on Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th August 1869.

This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below.
The final meeting took place on Tuesday 24th August 1869.
Course today A one mile course on Cape Ground near to Dudley Road and Grove Lane.
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.
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  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    
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Email order form to johnwslusar@gmail.com