Earliest meeting: Tuesday 26th September 1732
Final meeting: Thursday 17th April 1884
The East Midlands market town of Newark, on the River Trent in Nottinghamshire, first held races as early as 26th September 1732 when a 2-day meeting was included in John Cheny's Historical Matches record.. The ‘Historical List of Horse Races and Matches run in 1755’ later recorded a 3 day meeting taking place from Tuesday 7th to Thursday 9th October when the opening day saw a large field of 11 contest the £50 Plate over 4 miles. This was unusual at this time in history because the norm was for matches between just 2 individuals. However, the owners of the first 3 home conformed to the norm because there was a Duke and two Lords. On day two the Weight for Age Purse was won by the grey mare Musick (sic) for Mr Robinson, while on the final day the Fillies race went to Lord Pomfret’s Diana. The 1767 meeting proved to be a Duke of Kingston benefit meeting, for he won the Purse on Tuesday 13th October with Javelin, and on Thursday 15th October his colt Credit won the Fillies race having already won at Lincoln and Nottingham. Much later there was a spell of racing in the 1840s, some of which was not particularly successful and of low quality, but by 1866 the quality was much improved. On Thursday 31st May the Innkeeper’s Stakes went to The Turner and the Newark Stakes to Neroli. The flat course was a mile to the north of the town, alongside the Great North Road, a mile round with a long, straight run-in. The final meeting took place on Thursday 17th April 1884.

Tuesday 26th September 1732
Newark 20 Guineas Purse
1. BROCKLESBY, chestnut horse owned by Mr Leathes 2 1 1
2. NOW OR NEVER, bay mare owned by Mr Musters 1 2 2
3. COMING SIR, brown horse owned by Mr Herring 3 3 dist
4. TOUCH ME FILLY, bay mare owned by Mr Knight 4 dist
5. MIXBURY, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Holding 5 wdr
5 ran
Wednesday 27th September 1732
Newark 10 Guineas Galloway Purse
1. AMELIA, grey mare owned by Mr Broughton 1 4 1
2. SILVER SIDES, grey horse owned by Mr Leathes 4 1 2
3. GOSSIP JOAN, grey mare owned by Mr Davison 2 2 3
4. UNNAMED chestnut mare owned by Mr Tomlinson 3 3 4
4 ran

7th October 1755

Newark £50 Purse for 4 year olds over 2 miles
1. Brutus, bay colt owned by Lord Northumberland
2. Fop, bay gelding owned by Lord William Manners
3. Crispin, chestnut colt owned by the Duke of Ancaster
It was unusual at this time in history to have a large field, but in this race there were 11 runners.

8th October 1755

Newark £50 Weight for Age
1. Musick (sic), grey mare owned by Mr Robinson
2. Crab, bay horse owned by Mr Curzan
3. Tom Thumb, bay horse owned by Sir George Savill

9th October 1755

Newark £50 4 year old Fillies race
1. Diana, bay owned by Lord Pomfret
2. Vixen, chestnut owned by Mr Chaplain
3. Creeping Kate, bay owned by Mr Darley

Thursday 31st May 1866

The Newark Innkeepers Stakes over 2 miles
1. The Turner owned by Mr J Glover
2. Havannah owned by Mr E Rickards
3. Maid of Athens owned by Mr Granger

The Newark Stakes over 2 miles
1. Neroli owned by Mr T Parr
2. The Turner owned by Mr J Glover
3. Prince Lee Boo owned by Mr Bell

The final meeting took place on Thursday 17th April 1884.

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