Earliest meeting: Wednesday 5th October 1842
Final meeting: Tuesday 1st October 1844
The racecourse at Hooley Hill was in Audenshaw, near Manchester, and operated for just a three year period from 1842 until 1844. The inaugural 3 day meeting was held from Wednesday 5th to Friday 7th October 1842 when the Hooley Hill Stakes and Railway Stakes were both won by Mr Hepple’s Lady Flora, and on each occasion she got the better of Humphrey. However, on the final day of the meet Humphrey gained his revenge on the mare by winning the Ashton Stakes. A ridiculous situation arose in 1843 when races were held on Monday 21st, Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd August 1843 at Hooley Hill and Ashton under Lyme despite only a hedge separating the two courses. The final 2 day meeting was held on Monday 30th and Tuesday 1st October 1844 and proved to be a Lady Flora benefit. She won the Railway Stakes, the Gold Cup and the Handicap Stakes, although the concluding Royal Whip Stakes went to Mr Tale’s Sunflower. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr J.Lamplugh, Mr Hepple, Mr Tale, Mr M Chadwick & Mr H Algar (Stewards) |
| Principal Races |
Hooley Hill Gold Cup, Hooley Hill Handicap, Railway Stakes, Ashton Stakes |
Wednesday 5th to Friday 7th October 1842 |
The Hooley Hill Stakes over 3 miles
1. Lady Flora owned by Mr Hepple
2. Humphrey owned by Mr Milner
3. Palaemon owned by Captain Burke
4. Lady of the Lake owned by Mr Atkinson
The Hooley Hunters Stakes over 2 miles
1. Sambo Sutton owned by Mr Lamb
2. Birthday owned by Mr J.Lamplugh
3. Robin Hood owned by Mr Wheeldon
The Railway Stakes over 2 miles
1. Lady Flora owned by Mr Hepple
2. Humphrey owned by Mr Milner
3. Palaemon owned by Captain Burke
The Hooley Hurdle Race over 2 miles and 6 leaps
1. Birthday owned by Mr J.Lamplugh
2. Sambo Sutton owned by Mr Lamb
The Ashton Stakes over 3 miles
1. Humphrey owned by Mr Milner
2. Lady Flora owned by Mr Hepple
3. Oakbranch owned by Mr Hopwood |
Monday 30th September & Tuesday 1st October 1844 |
The Railway Stakes over 1 ¼ miles
1. Lady Flora owned by Mr Hepple
2. Bessy Bedlam
3. Argos
The Hooley Hill Gold Cup over 2 miles
1. Lady Flora owned by Mr Hepple
2. Palaemon
3. Foxhunter
The Hooley Hill Handicap over a mile
1. Lady Flora owned by Mr Hepple
2. Miniature
3. Palaemon
4. Foxhunter
The Royal Whip Stakes over 1 ½ miles
1. Sunflower owned by Mr Tale
2. Bessy Bedlam
3. Miniature |
The final meeting took place on Tuesday 1st October 1844. |
| Course today |
A course between Hooley Hill and Ashton under Lyme. |
| 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 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
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 |
| Download an order form |
| |
Quantity |
Cost |
| Volume 1 North of Hatfield £19.99 + £4 postage |
|
|
| Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage |
|
|
| Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage |
|
|
| Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage |
|
|
| Volumes 1 - 4 £54.96 + £5 postage |
|
|
| Postage & Packaging |
|
|
| Total |
|
|
| Email order form to johnwslusar@gmail.com |
|