Earliest meeting: Saturday 8th April 1732
Final meeting: Friday 11th November 1785
The large Tyne and Wear town of Gateshead was in the county of Durham in the latter part of the 18th century. It lies on the south bank of the River Tyne, on the opposite side to the city of Newcastle, and held its own race meeting on Satursday 8th April 1732 when Creeping Kate won the opener. Over half a century later a meeting took place on Friday 11th November 1785 in Ravensworth Park which is now covered by large housing developments. The Sweepstakes, for real hunters which had never started a match, was won by Captain Price’s Grenadier. Almost a century later the Gateshead Hunt held a race meeting in the vicinity of the town. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Captain Price, Sir James Baird, Sir H Liddell |
| Principal Races |
Gateshead Sweepstakes |
Saturday 8th April 1732
Gateshead 10 Guineas Plate
1. CREEPING KATE, chestnut mare owned by Mr Page 3 1 1
2. SQUIRREL, bay gelding owned by Mr Selby 1 2 2
3. SWEETEST WHEN NAKED, chestnut mare owned by Mr Ainsy 2 3 3
3 ran
15 Guineas Purse
1. STAND BY CLEAR THE WAY, chestnut mare owned by Mr Winship 1 1 2
2. SMILING TOM, bay horse owned by Reverend M Tarran 2 2 1
3. COCKING QUAKER, grey horse owned by Mr Farbank 3 dist
3 ran |
Friday 11th November 1785
Gateshead Sweepstakes
1. Grenadier, brown horse owned by Captain Price
2. Jennet, bay mare owned by Sir James Baird
3. Better-luck-Still, grey mare owned by Sir H Liddell
4. Tiptoe, bay horse owned by Mr Lorraine |
| The final meeting took place on Friday 11th November 1785. |
| Course today |
On Ravensworth Park. |
| 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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