MANCHESTER
Aintree racecourse;Ascot;Ayr;Bangor;Bath;Beverley;Brighton;Carlisle;Cartmel;Catterick;Cheltenham Festival;Chepstow;Chester;Doncaster St Leger;Epsom Derby;Exeter racecourse;Fakenham;Folkestone;Fontwell Park;Glorious Goodwood;Hamilton Park;Haydock Park;Hereford Racecourse;Hexham;Huntingdon;Kelso;Kempton Park;Leicester;Lingfield;Ludlow;Market Rasen;Musselburgh;Newbury Racecourse;Newcastle;Newmarket;Newton Abbot;Nottingham;Perth;Plumpton;Pontefract Racecourse;Redcar;Ripon;Salisbury;Sandown Park;Sedgefield;Southwell;Stratford;Taunton;Thirsk;Towcester;Uttoxeter;Warwick;Wetherby;Wincanton;Windsor;Wolverhampton;Worcester;Yarmouth;York Ebor
FIRST MEETING
April 1902.
SITUATED
Castle Irwell between Manchester and Salford.
DISTANCES
A flat circular course of about 14 furlongs round. The 5 and 6 furlong sprint courses were on a straight course.
PRINCIPAL RACE
The Manchester Cup, November Handicap and Lancashire Oaks (now run at Haydock Park ).
WORLD WAR I
Closed but reopened for a meeting on New Years Day 1919
WORLD WAR II
Held its only classic race during the war, when the St Leger was run here in 1941, but the course was then subsequently used by the Ministry of Supply.
FACT
Stream of Light won the Lancashire Oaks in 1952.
QUESTION
What was significant about Stream of Lights victory in the Lancashire Oaks?
CURRENT SITUATION
Possible to see some evidence of a previous racecourse, especially as the stands still remain.
LAST MEETING
9th November 1963
Geoff
writes the following personal memories of a course he quite clearly, dearly loved and
misses very much:-
“I
started going to Manchester Races in 1961; on my first visit Doug Smith rode a five-timer.
I went to every meeting from that day to the last day's racing in November 1963. That day
the famous Prince Monolulu was chanting 'I've gotta hoss'. Maybe it was one of Lester Piggott’s who needed five winners to
overhaul Scobie Breasley for the jockey's championship. Unfortunately he only managed
three winners, the last one being Fury Royal in the day's final race. The racecourse
matched any course in the country in my opinion, and I’ve seen a few; not dissimilar
to Haydock Park only Haydock is left handed and Manchester was right handed, I see they
are thinking of building a new course, they should never have closed the old one as it was
one of the best tracks in the country. Sadly missed by me and many hundreds of others”
Date 1950 Credits 82