MARKET HARBOROUGH RACECOURSE |
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Earliest meeting: Thursday 8th April 1852 |
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This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. | |
Local Patrons | Mr Edmund C Burton, Mr Alec Goodman |
Principal Races | Grand National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup |
Wednesday 18th April 1860 |
Grand National Hunt Steeplechase over 4 miles |
The National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup, a Grade 2 steeplechase for novice chaser over 3 miles 5 furlongs and 201 yards, is staged annually at the Cheltenham Festival in March. It boasts a rich history and is the oldest race in the Cheltenham Festival programme, dating from 1860. In the early days, between its inception in 1860 and 1910, it was staged at a variety of courses, but in 1911 Cheltenham became its permanent home. |
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I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the 1835 map shown below. |
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The 1860 meeting was held on Wednesday 18th April 1860 when the main guests were Earl Spencer, Lord Southampton, Lord Curzon, Lord Lincoln and Lord Stamford. The racecourse was in the parish of East Farndon, two miles south-west of the town, an admirably chosen site with a very high hill rising abruptly at the back of the village providing a splendid view of the entire course. Three of the races were run over a 4-mile course, with fences designed to fully test the thoroughbred, a stake hedge soon after the start and a formidable looking brook with 16 feet of clear water. Despite the day being bitterly cold, a crowd of between 20,000 and 30,000 were in attendance. The Farmer’s Steeplechase over 4 miles was won by Lady’s Maid’s brother (8/1) owned by Mr John Stokes and ridden by Harris, while the Scurry Steeplechase over 2 miles went to 3/1 joint favourite Chieftain owned by Mr A Finnie and ridden by Goodman. However, the principal 2 races have full details shown below, with Bridegroom, winner of the Grand National Hunt Steeplechase being placed 4th in the 1861 Aintree Grand National behind Jealousy, while The Huntsman, fourth in the Market Harborough Open Handicap Steeplechase being runner-up in the 1860 Aintree Grand National behind Anatis. |
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I am grateful to Olive Marchant for the very rare picture of Queensferry shown below. |
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Thursday 4th April 1861 |
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It was hosted by Market Harborough on just one further occasion in 1863 when Socks was triumphant. The Steeplechase meeting was not staged in 1862, but the final occasion a grand steeplechase was held at Market Harborough was on Thursday 26th March 1863 and was a disappointing affair, which was probably why the experience was not repeated in future years. In the Great National Steeplechase over 4 miles was a shadow of it’s former self with just 4 runners and saw Socks beat Cheviot. The Farmers Grand Annual did entice 10 runners to contest the race, and it went to Lady Florence who got the better of Princess Royal, Grey Volunteer and Malta. The course was almost exactly the same as in 1861, but with minor changes to some of the worst parts of the course where the ridges and furrows were particularly severe. It was a figure of eight course, with a man-made water jump of 16 feet width in the middle. The Stand was moved from its previous position on Windmill Hill to a place in front of the Water Jump, and although this gave racegoers a spectacular view of the 4-foot high fence and spread of water immediately after the jump, it denied them a full view of the entire course. Several ox-fences were included this year, making the course more demanding than in 1861, especially as the whole course contained 27 fences. |
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April 1863 |
Grand National Hunt Steeplechase over 4 miles |
The final meeting took place on Thursday 26th March 1863. | |
Course today | On a 4 mile course on land owned by Mr B E Bennett on the outskirts of the town. |
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 |
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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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