Earliest meeting: Monday 2nd October 1843
Final meeting: Tuesday 3rd October 1854
The Handsworth area of the Birmingham is in the north of the city and first staged a 2 day race meeting on Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd October 1843 when the Hack Stakes was won by Napoleon Le Grand, while the main Handicap was won by Mr Hammond’s Nora. The next year, on Monday 7th and Tuesday 8th October 1844 the opening one mile Sweepstake went to Nora, who defeated Cigar. Later in the afternoon the Hack Stakes saw Nora defeated by Ivanhoe. A meeting, the brainchild of Henry Bolton, owner of the New Inn, was later staged on a one mile grass field just a mile from Handsworth Station, which also acted as a training ground for the cavalry. That 2 day meeting took place on Monday 1st and Tuesday 2nd October 1849. The opening Hack Stakes went to Mr T Clay’s Forget-me-Not. Races continued to be well supported until the early 1850s, with the final 2 day meeting held in Handsworth on Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd October 1854 at which the Abbey Stakes went to Mr Smith’s Miss Talbot. The following year Handsworth teamed up with nearby Smethwick to host a joint meeting, but it was held near the Swan Inn at Smethwick. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr B Land, Mr Henry Bolton |
| Principal Races |
Handsworth Stakes, Handsworth Innkeepers Stakes, Hack Stakes, Abbey Stakes |
Monday 2nd October 1843
Hack Stakes
1. Napoleon Le Grand, bay colt owned by Mr Lowe
2. Nora, grey filly owned by Mr Hammond |
Monday 8th & Tuesday 9th October 1855 |
The Handsworth Stakes over a mile
1. Vestige owned by Mr Land
2. Tomyris owned by Mr Green
3. Cock Sparrow owned by Mr Phillips
The Handsworth Ladies Purse over a mile
1. Resignation owned by Mr Baker
2. Emma owned by Mr Griffiths
3. Euphemus owned by Mr Chawner
Handsworth Innkeepers Stakes over 2 miles
1. Cock Sparrow owned by Mr Phillips
2. Vestige owned by Mr Land
3. The Despised owned by Mr J Saunders |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 3rd October 1854. |
| Course today |
The meetings which were held in Handsworth were on grounds that have become Handsworth Park. A one mile course in grass fields within walking distance of the railway station. |
| 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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