Earliest meeting: Thursday 4th October 1866
Final meeting: Thursday 6th October 1870
The rich hunting grounds of Cheshire were blessed with a number of racecourses, one of which was used by the Ellesmere Hunt Group. The inaugural meeting was held on Thursday 4th October 1866 on a course on the cavalry field near The Newnes, complete with temporary viewing stand situated in front of the winning post. The opening Browlow Stakes, over 4 furlongs, was won by Mr E Foulkes Mountain Maid, although the feature race was the Tradesmen’s Plate won by Nuneaton. Races were well supported for the next 4 years until a final meeting on Thursday 6th October 1870. The last Brownlow Cup was won by Cotton, the Ellesmere Stakes by Artesian, and the concluding race, the Shropshire Stakes, was won by Robin.
The article below is from the Oswestry Advertiser and gives details of the meeting which took place on Thursday 4th October 1866, and is shown courtesy of the British Newspaper Archives Online.
The article below is from the Wrexham Advertiser and gives details of the meeting which took place on Thursday 17th October 1867, and is shown courtesy of the British Newspaper Archives Online.
The article below is from the Bell’s Life and Sporting Chronicle and gives details of the meeting which took place on Thursday 22nd October 1868, and is shown courtesy of the British Newspaper Archives Online.
The article below is from the Wellington Journal and gives details of the meeting which took place on Thursday 7th October 1869, and is shown courtesy of the British Newspaper Archives Online.
The article below is from the Wrexham Advertiser and gives details of the meeting which took place on Thursday 6th October 1870, and is shown courtesy of the British Newspaper Archives Online.
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
