Earliest meeting: Friday 1st February 1861
Final meeting: Friday 1st February 1861
The North Yorkshire villages of Whixley and Hammerton lie in the Harrogate district of the county. Whixley lies 10 miles west of York (Eboracum) on the old Roman road called Rudgate. At the time of the Domesday Book the village was known as Cucheslaga, and 300 years later it was known as Quixley after the then Lord of the Manor. Barely 8 miles from York lay the villages of Kirk Hammerton and Green Hammerton, and in the middle of the 19th century the two Hammerton villages combined forces with Whixley to hold their own race meeting. Entries for the meeting had to be made at the Clarence Hotel in York, and Mr Robert Johnson volunteered to be Judge. The meeting was staged on Friday 1st Februray 1861 on a course ‘admirably adapted for steeplechasing’ starting in a field on the hillside between Whixley and Green Hammerton owned by Mr Styan, and continuing over fields owned by local sportsman Mr Christie. The opening Hunters’ Stakes went to Ingomar, owned by Mr Proud, who beat Blind Hookey; the Whixley Selling Stakes over 3 miles to Mr Croft’s Sir Charles, while the concluding Hack Race went to Mr Maltby’s Cinderella. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr Robert Johnson, Mr Christie, Mr Styan |
| Principal Races |
Whixley Selling Stakes, Hack Stakes, Hammerton Hunters’ Stakes |
Friday 1st February 1861
Hammerton Hunters’ Stakes over 4 miles
1. Ingomar, grey gelding owned by Mr Proud
2. Blind Hookey, bay horse owned by Mr Kirk
3. Sportsman, brown gelding owned by Mr J Shepherd
Betting: 5/4 Ingomar, 2/1 Harmony, 5/2 Blind Hookey, 4/1 Sportsman |
The only recorded meeting took place on Friday 1st February 1861. |
| Course today |
Between Whixley and Green Hammerton, starting in a field on the hillside owned by Mr Styan. |
| 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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