Earliest meeting: Monday 2nd September 1837
Final meeting: Wednesday 3rd September 1856
The Lancashire town of Eccles, close to Manchester and Salford, staged races entitled Eccles Races for 18 years, although there was no association with Eccles Hunt races which were held elsewhere in the country. The first of the Eccles Races was a two day meeting which took place on Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd September 1837 when the opening Hurdle race was won by Mr Sharples’ Black Diamond, while on the second day the Gentlemen’s Purse went to Mr Marlow’s Clitheroe ridden by Teate. Just two years later the meeting had extended to four days, lasting from Monday 2nd to Thursday 5th September 1839 when the Trafford Park Stakes was won by Mr Frost’s Viola. Up until 1847 the Racing Calendar incorrectly placed the Eccles meetings in Staffordshire, although the cards did contain the Trafford Park Stakes, but from 1848 until the final meeting in 1856 the Racing Calendars correctly placed Eccles in Lancashire. Meetings continued to be well supported for the next 17 years until a final three day card was held from Monday 1st to Wednesday 3rd September 1856. The entire card was dominated by Mr J Osborne who won the Gentlemen’s Purse, Grandstand Plate, Trafford Park Stakes, Ladies Purse and Eccles Handicap with Tiff, and the Trial Stakes by Miss Tiff who was also second to Tiff in the Eccles Handicap. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr J T Trafford, Mr Robert Turner (Stewards) |
| Principal Races |
Trafford Park Stakes, Eccles Grandstand Plate, Eccles Handicap |
Wednesday 3rd September 1856
Eccles Handicap over 1 ½ miles
1. Tiff, bay filly owned by Mr J Osborne
2. Miss Tiff, black filly owned by Mr J Osborne
3. Cigar, brown gelding owned by Mr W Wood |
| The final meeting took place on Wednesday 3rd September 1856. |
| Course today |
Eccles Recreation Ground. |
| 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 |
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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. |
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