Earliest meeting: Tuesday 23rd March 1869
Final meeting: Tuesday 23rd March 1869
The North Yorkshire village of Kirby is in the Hambledon district of the county, just one mile south of Stokesley. In the middle of the 19th century it was a remote, rural village surrounded by beautiful countryside, staging its own race meeting on Tuesday 23rd March 1869. The tight racing circuit had to be traversed three times to complete the distance and, in so doing, runners encountered 50 leaps. The meeting was very well attended, with punters travelling from Pickering, Helmsley and Malton to witness the Members Steeplechase go to Mr R Barker’s Gamestar. The Hunters Silver Cup Steeplechase was won by Mr R Backhouse’s Maid of the Morning, while the principal race, the Town Plate, was claimed by Gamestar. There are no records of further meetings taking place in the village. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr H Darley, Mr A Darley, Mr H Smithson (Stewards) |
| Principal Races |
Kirby Town Plate, Kirby Members Steeplechase, Kirby Hunters Silver Cup |
Tuesday 23rd March 1869
Kirby Town Plate over 1 ½ miles
1. Gamestar, 5 year old owned by Mr R Barker
2. Miss Valentine, 4 year old owned by Mr J Magson
3. Fanny, aged mare owned by Mr W Sonley |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 23rd March 1869. |
| Course today |
A tight racing circuit with 50 leaps. |
| 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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