Earliest meeting: Wednesday 23rd June 1824
Final meeting: Friday 17th August 1832
Racegoers in the city of Leeds have access to a number of racecourses within easy reach today, including York and Wetherby, but the city failed to sustain its own racecourse. In 1823 yet another attempt was made to establish a course in the vicinity of the city when the surveyor Charles Fowler drew up plans to introduce racing at Haigh Park, 3 miles south of the city centre. The track was bounded on one side by the River Aire, and on two other sides by the Leeds and Pontefract turmpikes, and launched its inaugural 3 day meeting from Wednesday 23rd to Friday 25th June 1824. A magnificent 3 day meeting took place from Wednesday 31st August to Friday 2nd September 1831, although it did not prove to be a successful one for Lord Scarborough. His Windcliffe was defeated by Contest in the Leeds Park Stakes; Clarence lost to Lottery in the Parlington Stakes, while Cistercian was beaten into third place behind Beagle in the Gold Tureen. Yet within a year of this magnificent meeting the course ceased to exist. The final 3 day meeting took place from Wednesday 15th to Friday 17th August 1832 when the Leeds Gold Cup was won by Mr Riddell’s Galopade. However, future meetings were literally dead in the water when the Aire and Calder Navigation Company started cutting a new course for the River which ran straight through the heart of the racecourse. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Lord Fitzwilliam, Lord Scarborough, Sir J.Gerard, Mr T. Gascoigne |
| Principal Races |
Haigh Park Gold Cup, Bramham Stakes, The Gold Tureen, Parlington Stakes, Commencement Stakes, Yorkshire Stakes |
Monday 20th April 1829 |
The Yorkshire Stakes over 2 miles
1. Huntsman owned by Mr Ringrose
2. Judy Nicholson owned by Mr Hobson
3. Jonathon Martin owned by Mr Prest |
Wednesday 24th to Friday 26th June 1829 |
The Commencement Stakes over 1 ¾ miles
1. Doro owned by Lord Fitzwilliam
2. Unnamed colt by Tramp owned by Mr Gascoigne
Haigh Park Gold Cup over 2 miles
1. Murphy owned by Mr Gibbeson walked over
Haigh Park Handicap Stakes over 1 ½ miles
1. The Earl owned by Mr Hudson
2. The Captain owned by Mr Weatherill
3. Deposit owned by Mr Houldsworth |
Wednesday 31st August to Friday 2nd September 1831 |
The Leeds Stakes over 2 miles
1. Contest owned by Mr Houldsworth
2. Windcliffe owned by Lord Scarborough
3. Tippet owned by Captain Andrews
The Parlington Stakes over 1 mile 6 furlongs
1. Unnamed filly by Lottery owned by Mr T.Gascoigne
2. Clarence owned by Lord Scarborough
The Haigh Park Stakes over 1 ½ miles
1. Volage owned by Lord Scarborough
2. Barkston owned by Mr Rowe
3. Polly Jean owned by Mr Peacock
The Gold Tureen over 2 miles
1. Beagle owned by Mr Houldsworth
2. Brunswicker owned by Mr Petre
3. Cistercian owned by Lord Scarborough
The Bramham Park Stakes over 1 ½ miles
1. Fancy owned by Mr Blakelock
2. Unnamed filly by Lottery owned by Mr T.Gascoigne
Haigh Park Gold Cup over 2 miles
1. Beagle owned by Mr Houldsworth
2. Rex owned by Sir J.Gerard
3. Roundwaist owned by Mr Nowell |
Wednesday 15th to Friday 17th August 1832 |
The Leeds Stakes over 2 miles
1. Unnamed filly by Figaro owned by Mr Woolmer
2. Unnamed filly by St Patrick owned by Mr T.Gascoigne
3. Catherine owned by Sir J.Gerard
4. Stotforth owned by Lord Cleveland
The Gold Tureen over 2 miles
1. Galopade owned by Mr Riddell
2. Philip owned by Mr Houldsworth
3. Flambeau owned by Mr Healey
The Rothwell Stakes over 1 mile 6 furlongs
1. Rex owned by Sir J.Gerard
2. Maid of Melross owned by Mr Brooke
3. Ruth owned by Mr Hudson
The Branham Park Stakes over 1 ½ miles
1. Isabel owned by Mr T.Gascoigne
2. Clara owned by Mr Houldsworth
3. Bounce owned by Mr G.Robinson
The Leeds Gold Cup over 2 miles
1. Galopade owned by Mr Riddell
2. Christine owned by Mr Broenenburgh
3. Bounce owned by Mr G.Robinson |
| The final meeting took place on Friday 17th August 1832, the final day of a 3 day meeting with race details shown above. |
| Course today |
On Haigh Park in Leeds, 3 miles south of the city centre. |
| 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. |
| ORDER FORM |
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| Volume 1 North of Hatfield £19.99 + £4 postage |
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| Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volumes 1 - 4 £54.96 + £5 postage |
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