Earliest meeting: Wednesday 28th January 1846
Final meeting: Wednesday 28th January 1846
The Hertfordshire town of Cheshunt, just 13 miles from Charing Cross, was mentioned in the Domesday Book when known as Cestrehunt. It is in the Borough of Broxbourne and today boasts a population in excess of 50,000. Such was its importance in the mid 1800s, and its location on the Roman Road of Ermine Street, that it held its own race meeting on Wednesday 28th January 1846. The headquarters for racing was The George Hotel where entries were made, although the course was five miles away, starting in a meadow owned by Mr Warkett behind The Woolman. The course then continued along Newgate Street and over fences and a heavily ploughed field owned by Mr Camp. Proceeding along Clapham Lane and Lawrence Lane, the course wound its way back to the starting flag. Although the Post Race event was won by Mr Sait’s Resolution, the main event was the Sweepstake which went to Mr Dixon’s Mortimer. After racing a spread was enjoyed back at the George.

Wednesday 28th January 1846
Cheshunt Sweepstake
1. Mortimer, bay gelding owned by Mr Dixon
2. Ruth, bay mare owned by Mr Neale
3. Forester, aged horse owned by Mr Harburn
4. Pilot, aged horse owned by Mr Harrod
5. Chief, brown mare owned by Mr Higgins

The final meeting took place on Wednesday 28th January 1846.

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