Earliest meeting: Tuesday 30th March 1841
Final meeting: Tuesday 26th December 1871
The north London area of Finchley lies in the Borough of Barnet some 7 miles north of Charing Cross. Although it probably dates from Anglo-Saxon times, with its name meaning ‘Finch’s clearing’, it was not recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. The area benefited from the wide expanse of Finchley Common and from the Great Northern railway line which reached Finchley on 1867. The first record of a race meeting taking place in Finchley was on Tuesday 30th March 1841. The course started in a field to the right of the Queen’s Head, went two miles through fields in a straight line before turning around a flag and heading back to the finishing post. The feature Steeplechase was won by Mr Rice’s Flyer and after racing an Ordinary was served at the Queen’s Head. It was then a year after the railway had reached Finchley that the next record of a meeting exists. Races continued for 3 more years until a final card on Tuesday 26th December 1871 when the final race, the Middlesex Handicap, was won by King of the Roses. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Lord George Seymour, Lord Beauclere |
| Principal Races |
Finchley Steeplechase, Finchley Plate |
Tuesday 30th March 1841
Finchley Steeplehcase over 4 miles
1. Flyer, aged horse owned by Mr Rice
2. Field Marshall, brown gelding owned by Mr Hart
3. Even, bay gelding owned by Mr Probye |
The final meeting took place on Tuesday 27th December 1871. |
| Course today |
A 4 mile course starting near the Queen’s Head and travelling 2 miles across fields before returning. |
| 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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| Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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