Earliest meeting: Monday 22nd August 1757
Final meeting: Wednesday 29th July 1840
The small Cheshire village of Crabtree Green, close to the town of Northwich, first held a race meeting in its own right on Monday 22nd August 1757 when Mr Wynn’s bay filly got the better of Mr Egerton’s Little David to claim the 100 Guineas in a Match over 4 miles. Two years before this Northwich had staged a three day meeting at Crabtree Green. On Monday 18th May 1761 two Matches were held, the first was won by Mr Egerton’s bay filly, while the second went to Mr Wilbraham’s Colt. By the next year progress had been made when the card was extended to a 2 day meeting on Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th September 1762 which introduced races contested by more than just two horses. The main 100 Guineas Prize over 2 miles went to Mr Pigott’s colt. This early period of racing is known to have taken place at Crabtree Green, near Delamere, on land owned by George Wilbraham and lasted until 1783. The site of the oval course was on the left of the road from Chester to Northwich, and passing through its centre was the Abbots Moss to Norley Road, which meant that in most races the horses had to cross the road twice. Given that the course was predominantly over land owned by George Wilbraham he supervised the care and preparation of the course. Races continued in the village well into the 19th century. On Thursday 8th November 1804 a Sweepstake three times round the course was won by Mr T L Brooke’s Telescope who beat Mr G J Leigh’s Sir Peter filly. The final meeting was held in the meadow at the rear of the Rising Sun Inn on Wednesday 29th July 1840 when the feature race, the Silver Cup, was won by Captain Weir’s Olympic. However, the card also contained a Hack race and a Pony race. Although minor meetings were held after this date, the cards increasingly included pony and Galloway races.

Captain Weir, Mr Egerton, Mr T L Brookes

22nd August 1757

Crabtree Green 100 Guineas 4 mile Match
1. Unnamed bay filly owned by Mr Wynn
2. Little David, bay colt owned by Mr Egerton

Monday 18th May 1761 Crabtree Green 4 mile Match
1. Bay filly owned by Mr Egerton
2. Bay filly owned by Mr Slaughter

Crabtree Green Match
1. Colt owned by Mr Wilbraham
2. Filly owned by Mr Slaughter (withdrew)

Monday 27th & Tuesday 28th September 1762

Crabtree Green 100 Guineas over 2 miles
1. Unnamed colt owned by Mr Pigott
2. Unnamed horse owned by Mr Egerton

Crabtree Green 2 mile Match
1. Fox owned by Mr Pigott
2. Unnamed mare owned by Mr Slaughter

Tuesday 28th June 1763
Crabtree Green Gentleman’s Sweepstake over 4 miles
1. Unnamed colt owned by Sir P Leicester
2. Unnamed bay colt owned by Mr Stanhope
3. Unnamed grey colt owned by Honourable Arthur Barry

Wednesday 29th July 1840
Crabtree Green Silver Cup over 2 miles
1. Olympic, aged horse owned by Captain Weir
2. Vilantia, 6 year old owned by Mr Carlisle
3. Bessy, aged mare owned by Mr May

In meadows at the rear of the Rising Sun Inn.

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