Earliest meeting: Friday 26th August 1729
Final meeting: Friday 14th September 1733
The tiny Durham village of Heighington is situated between Darlington and Newton Aycliffe, and first held races in 1729. It boasts a Norman Church and an extremely rare Oak pulpit that is said to be pre-Reformation. Baily’s Racing Register first provided detailed results from races held at Heighington on Friday 26th August 1729 when the feature Plate was won by Miss Hewet for Mr Bowes. The next year a meeting was staged on Friday 13th October 1730 when the 5 year old Plate was won by Craving Kate for Mr Bingham, while the 6 year old Plate was won by Mr Hutton’s Cripple. The final record of racing in the village was a 3 day meeting from Wednesday 12th to Friday 14th September 1733 when races were staged on Heighington Park. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr Lambton, Mr Bowes, Mr Fletcher |
| Principal Races |
Heighington 4 Year Old Plate, Five Year Old Plate, Six Year Old Plate |
Friday 26th August 1729 |
Heighington 4 Year Old Plate over 3 miles
1. Miss Hewet owned by Mr Bowes
2. Stingo owned by Mr Fletcher
3. Gipsy owned by Mr Croft
4. Faustina owned by Mr Jenison
5. Smart owned by Mr Dobinson |
Friday 13th October 1730 |
Heighington 20 Guineas Five Year Olds Plate
1. Craving Kate owned by Mr Bingham
2. Lovely Betty owned by Mr Smith
3. Faustinia owned by Mr Jenison
Heighington 30 Guineas Six Year Olds Plate
1. Cripple owned by Mr Hutton
2. Smuggler owned by Mr Peirse
3. Miss Stevenson owned by Mr Stevenson
Heighington 10 Guineas Give-and-Take Plate
1. Cripple owned by Mr Lambton
The Grey horse beat a field of 4 others, but no further details were provided. |
| The final meeting took place on Friday 14th September 1733. |
| Course today |
On Heighington 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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