Earliest meeting: Thursday 25th January 1844
Final meeting: Thursday 25th January 1844
The small Oxfordshire village of Drayton, which includes the hamlet of Sutton Wick, is situated 2 miles south of Abingdon. At the time of the Domesday Book it was known as Draitune, although it has been Drayton since the 13th century. On Thursday 25th January 1844 it held its sole steeplechase across good hunting ground on the edge of the village. It was won by Mr Pritchard’s 6 year old Corinthian, getting the better of Cataract and Jessie. There is no further evidence of a race taking place in the village, although nearby Abingdon held races for a prolonged period of time.

Thursday 25th January 1844
Drayton Steeplechase
1. Corinthian, brown gelding owned by Mr Pritchard
2. Cataract, bay horse owned by Mr Powell
3. Jessie, aged horse owned by Mr Smith
4. Fruitless, grey mare owned by Mr Andrews
5. Virtue, bay mare owned by Mr Evans
6. Flycatcher, brown horse owned by Mr Hawkes

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