Earliest meeting: Wednesday 7th April 1841
Final meeting: Tuesday 10th April 1849
Racing first took place in the North Yorkshire village of Dinsdale Spa, 4 miles from Darlington, on Wednesday 7th April 1841 on a 3 mile course on the outskirts of the village. Entries were made at the Dinsdale Spa Hotel, where an Ordinary was served after racing. The meeting was organised by the Hurworth Hunt who were established in 1775 by Mr Turner. Lower Dinsdale Manor was acquired by the racing enthusiast, John Lambton in 1770 and by 1829 he had become 1st Earl of Durham and built the Dinsdale Spa Hotel on his estate. Further meetings took place annually, sometimes with the Hurworth Hunt, sometimes with Middleton, and often in their own right until a final meeting on Tuesday 10th April 1849.
Thursday 16th April 1844
Dinsdale & Middleton Stakes over 1 mile
1. Saul, grey gelding owned by Mr S Warring
2. Miss Hayton, bay filly owned by Mr Robson
3. Hampton, chestnut mare owned by Mr Wood
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.
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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
