Earliest meeting: Tuesday 12th March 1839
Final meeting: Thursday 19th March 1868
The Norfolk and Suffolk Hunt Committees joined forces to organise race meetings in the middle of the 19th century, although they did not have their own course and were therefore nomadic. The inaugural meeting took place on Tuesday 12th March 1839 on a course between Diss, Haywood and Stuston. The meeting began with the Lightweights Sweepstake won by Jim Crow, followed by the Heavyweight Sweepstake won by Lottery, and finished with the Norfolk and Suffolk Hurdle won by Cock-Robin. All 3 winners were owned by Mr B Land and when the evening entertainment took place at the King’s Head in Diss, Mr B Land bought the first round. The final time a jointly organised meeting took place was at Haddiscoe on Thursday 19th March 1868 when the Lightweight Race once again launched the days racing. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Honorable B Woodhouse, Mr B Land |
| Principal Races |
Norfolk & Suffolk Hurdle, Lightweights Sweepstake, Heavyweights Sweepstake |
Tuesday 12th March 1839 |
Lightweights Sweepstake
1. Jim Crow owned by Mr B Land
2. Aurora owned by Mr G S V Wilson
3. Moses owned by Mr Sheldrake-Smith
Heavyweights Sweeepstake
1. Lottery owned by Mr B Land
2. Predictor owned by Mr G S V Wilson
3. Magic owned by Honorable B Wodehouse
Norfolk & Suffolk Hurdle
1. Cock-Robin owned by Mr B Land
2. Old Will owned by Mr Smith
3. Mary owned by Mr H Ellis
After the races the entertainment continued at the King’s Head in Diss and I guess, after winning all 3 races, that Mr Land was in the chair! |
Thursday 19th March 1868
Norfolk & Suffolk Lightweights Race over 3 miles
1. Coroner, black horse owned by Mr W Pollard
2. Slasher, bay horse owned by Mr C Bales
3. Rufus, bay horse owned by Mr A B Palmer |
| The final meeting took place on Thursday 19th March 1868. |
| Course today |
At Haddiscoe on fields owned by Mr H Gummer and Mr A Palmer. |
| 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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