Earliest meeting: Wednesday 9th April 1890
Final meeting: Wednesday 22nd June 1892
The County Durham city of Durham and town of Hartlepool, although holding their own race meetings at various times throughout history, jointly organised a steeplechase meeting in 1890. There were two meetings in this year, the first on Wednesday 9th April 1890 and the later one in November 1890, on a course at Stranton Grange near West Hartlepool. At the April meeting the opening West Hartlepool Open Steeplechase was won by Mr W F Charter’s Flower of the Forest, while there was a hollow victory for Pursepond (1/5 favourite) in the South Durham Hunt Steeplechase when he easily beat his only rival Antelope. The meetings continued for just two more years until a final card was staged on Wednesday 22nd June 1892. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr T W Hornby (Secretary), Mr W F Charter |
| Principal Races |
Cleveland Open Hunters Chase, South Durham Hunt Steeplechase |
Wednesday 9th April 1890
Licensed Victuallers Steeplechase over 2 miles
1. Marske, 6 year old owned by Mr H G Don
2. Adieu, 5 year old owned by Mr W Brown
3. Gentle Annie, aged mare owned by Mr Robinson
Betting: 2/5 Adieu, 4/1 Marske, 8/1 Thalasse, 10/1 Gentle Annie |
| The final meeting took place on Wednesday 22nd June 1892. |
| Course today |
A 2 mile steeplechase course at Stranton Grange, West Hartlepool. |
| 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. |
| ORDER FORM |
| Download an order form |
| |
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 |
|
|
| Total |
|
|
| Email order form to johnwslusar@gmail.com |
|