Earliest meeting: Sunday 3rd April 1729
Final meeting: Whit Monday 20th May 1872
It is known that a racecourse was laid out on Middleham High Moor in 1729, with Baily’s Racing Register first providing detailed results from the April 1729 meeting. James Whyte’s History of the British Turf noted that racing was taking place in Middleham in November 1739 on Middleham Moor just half a mile from the town, although he scathingly suggested the races were ‘of little interest’. Meetings did continue intermittently for over 100 years, although the meeting of April 1837 was a poor affair with just two recorded races; racing ceased the next year and did not resume until 1858. The town could call on a number of courses, including a standard 2 mile course, a Gold Cup course extending over 3 miles, and the Crown course for 5 furlong sprints. Racing came to a final halt in the racing town on Whit Monday 20th May 1872 with a meeting on Middleham Low Moor. The event was graced by a large concourse of spectators, embracing many of the influential of the neighbour, and they witnessed Worthless winning the opening Neville Stakes for Mr Ridley. The Feature Castle Handicap over 6 furlongs went to the 5 year old Ida owned by Mr Farmer.
Duke of Bolton, Lord Belhaven, Sir W Gerard, Sir H Williamson, Lord Sligo, Lord D'Arcy, Sir J H Maxwell, Sir R Milbank
Sunday 3rd April 1729
Middleham 51 Guineas Plate for 5 Year Olds
1. Unnamed bay mare owned by Lord D’Arcy
2. Polly Peachum owned by Sir R Milbank
3. Barebones owned by Mr Hutton
4. Moorhen owned by The Duke of Bolton
30th March 1762 to 1st April 1762
Middleham 4 mile Plate
1. Schemer owned by Mr J S Barry
2. Strip’em owned by Mr Turner
3. Bellair owned by Mr Thornburgh
Middleham 3 mile Stakes
1. Spinner owned by Mr J S Barry
2. Blossom owned by Mr Scroop
3. Freeholder owned by Mr Stanhope
Spinner won both heats and therefore claimed the stakes.
Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th April 1824
Middleham Craven Stakes over a mile and a half
1. Caccia Piatti owned by Mr Riddell
2. North Star owned by Mr Ferguson
3. Unnamed colt by Grey Middleham owned by Mr Ferguson
Bolton Stakes over a mile and a half
1. Mustachio owned by Mr Riddell
2. Ringlet owned by Mr Jaques
Sweepstake for 20 Guineas over a mile and a half
1. Crow-Catcher owned by Mr J smith
2. Unnamed filly by Ardrossan owned by Mr Gascoigne
3. Sir John owned by Lord Sligo
The meeting of April 1837 was a poor affair with just two recorded races.
Wednesday 5th April 1837
The Dinner Stakes over 2 miles
1. The Sylph owned by Mr Allen
2. Negro owned by Mr C Topham
Middleham Hurdle over 2 miles
1. Negro owned by Mr C Topham
2. Unnamed horse owned by Mr J T Wray
3. The Girl of Kilkenny owned by Mr Allen
Middleham plays a significant part in horse racing today. The photos below show the training stables of James Bethell together with some of his yearlings. For further details on this highly successful training establishment visit http://jamesbethell.co.uk/
Middleham continues to play a significant part in horse racing today via Karl Burke. The photo below, kindly provided by Karl, shows the very successful trainer inspecting his stable stars. For further details on this highly successful training establishment visit www.karlburke.co.uk
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:-
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
