Earliest meeting: Monday 19th October 1828
Final meeting: Saturday 8th April 1876
The Cheshire town of Hoylake, today more famous for its golf course, once held race meetings which were organised by the Liverpool Hunt Club. The inaugural 2 day meeting took place on Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th October 1828 on a turf course in front of the hotel. The residents of the hotel could command a full view of the course and every vantage point was taken. After racing on the first day a Ball was held in the hotel, while the second day was marked by a Dinner. In the second year the meeting was staged on Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th October when the Hoylake Cup was generously sponsored by Sir T Stanley. Although it was won by Mr Davies’s Matchless, which beat Columbine and Chance, the following year’s Hoylake Cup went to Sir T Stanley. There was then a break of 14 years before the next meeting on Tuesday 12th September 1843 when the Wellington Cup was won by Nun from Fairy and Lioness, although Mr Longshaw’s Fairy gained her revenge by landing the Hoylake Stakes. There was a brief period of consecutive years of racing from 1853 until 1856, but the most prolonged period started with a meeting in 1861 and continued annually until the final meeting on Saturday 8th April 1876. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| A very detailed, enjoyable book on Hoylake Races, written by Jon Pinfold, is still available and well worth a read. |
| Local Patrons |
Sir T Stanley |
| Principal Races |
Hoylake Cup, Wirral Plate, Hoylake Plate |
Monday 5th October 1829
Wirral Plate
1. Sawney, bay gelding owned by Mr Stede
2. Julia, bay mare owned by Mr Turner
3. Caroline, chestnut mare owned by Mr Burton |
| The final meeting took place on Saturday 8th April 1876. |
| Course today |
On a turf course in front of the hotel. |
| 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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