Earliest meeting: Wednesday 13th July 1774
Final meeting: Thursday 26th October 1899
There is evidence that racing took place at the Cumbrian town of Penrith as early as Wednesday 13th July 1774 with a 3 day meeting on a course situated on the north side of the town, close to the Salkeld Road, where punters were able to look down on the town as they enjoyed their racing. The meeting opened with a 4 year old Plate which was won by Caledonian, owned by Mr Kaye, who got the better of Mr Best’s Mary Davy. Meetings were billed as Inglewood and Pentrith and on Wednesday 6th October 1824 the feature race was the Inglewood Hunt Sweepstakes which went to Mr T Hudson’s Competitor gelding beating Sir P Musgrave’s Classic. Racing continued on a very regular basis for over 100 years until a final meeting in the area on Thursday 26th October 1899.
Thursday 14th July 1774
Penrith Weight for Age Plate over 4 miles
1. Buff, brown horse owned by Hon. C Howard
2. Vidonia, 5 year old chestnut mare owned by Mr Meeke
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.
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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
