Earliest meeting: Friday 20th February 1863
Final meeting: Friday 21st March 1879
The Suffolk town of Newmarket remains the Headquarters of English racing, but in the late 19th and early 20th century it held its own steeplechase meetings. However, prior to this date National Hunt meetings were staged at Newmarket, with one of the earliest taking place in the village of Moulton on Friday 20th February 1863. Racing then lapsed for 16 years before the president of the Hunt Committee, Mr B Chennell, strived to re-introduce steeplechase meetings to the town. A two day meeting was originally planned for the middle of January 1879, but inclement weather caused it to be postponed. The meeting eventually took place on Thursday 20th and Friday 21st March on a course 1 ½ miles from Kennett Station and five miles from Newmarket. It was on ground owned by Captain Machell, next to the windmill on sloping ground which provided the crowd with a good view of the race and the beautiful countryside. The opening Lanwades Hunters Chase over 3 miles was won by Mr J J Kirby’s Summertime, while the Handicap Hurdle went to Mr Jenning’s Paul’s Cray. The feature event was the Trainers and Jockey Club Gold Cup sponsored by Lady Charles Innes Ker which was won by Foxhound. Racing lapsed again before the Newmarket Steeplechase meetings were staged in the last years of the 19th and early years of the 20th century on the Cheveley Estate. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Duke of Hamilton, Earl of Stamford, Captain Machell |
| Principal Races |
Trainers & Jockey Club Gold Cup, Lanwades Hunters Chase |
Thursday 20th March 1879
Trainers & Jockey Club Gold Cup over 3 miles
1. Foxhound, bay gelding owned by Mr J Cannon
2. Protector, aged horse owned by Mr J Ryan
3. Bear’s Grease, aged horse owned by Mr B Marsh |
| The final meeting took place on Friday 21st March 1879. |
| Course today |
A mile and a half from Kennett Station and 5 miles from Newmarket on ground owned by Captain Machell. |
| 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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