Earliest meeting: Thursday 21st September 1865
Final meeting: Thursday 21st September 1865
Mildenhall, located in the Forest Heath district of Suffolk, has been a market town since the 15th century. It is strategically well located being close to the A11, about 37 miles north west of Ipswich and today is better known as a Royal Air Force base. However, back in the middle of the 19th century it held a race meeting on Thursday 21st September 1865. There was significant opposition to the meeting, particularly from the parish clergyman, but in the end a successful meeting was staged in fields on the edge of the town. The meeting was the brainchild of Captain A Murray and he, along with Captain Machell, acted as Stewards. The meeting opened with the Mildenhall Hurdle over 1 ½ miles which was won by Duc De Guise owned by Mr C Green. The Hunters’ Stakes was won by Flash in the Pan. Luncheon was served before racing at the Bell Hotel, and an Ordinary was held at the same venue after racing. There are no records of any further meetings taking place in the town, so maybe the vicar achieved his objective. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Captain A Murray, Captain Machell |
| Principal Races |
Mildenhall Hurdle, Hunters’ Stakes |
Thursday 21st September 1865
Mildenhall Hunters’ Stakes
1. Flash in the Pan, aged horse owned by Mr Moore
2. Peep O’Day, aged horse owned by Mr Steed
3. Raven, aged horse owned by Mr Grainger |
The only recorded meeting took place on Thursday 21st September 1865. |
| Course today |
In fields on the edge 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 |
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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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