Earliest meeting: Monday 5th August 1850
Final meeting: Thursday 15th April 1880
The Norths Staffs Hunt Group organised racing for a prolonged period in the middle of the 19th century on a flat, oval course of a mile and 20 yards located on the outskirts of Stoke on Trent at Newcastle under Lyme. The inaugural two day meeting was held on Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th August 1850, although in 1846 and 1847 meetings had been staged, but they were billed as ‘North Staffs and Newcastle races’. The 1850 meeting opened with the Borough Stakes won by Gratis for Mr Wadlow, with the Innkeepers Stakes on day two going to the same horse/owner combination. At the meeting held on Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th August 1854 the opening Tradesmen’s Plate went to Mr Peace’s Lady Ponsonby, while the Champagne Stakes was won by Mr Yardley’s Pole Star. The next year the two day meeting was held on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th August 1855 when the 7/4 favourite for the Champagne Stakes, sponsored by W.T.Copeland, was Mountain Breeze, but he had to settle for third place behind the Mr Copeland pair of St Dunstan and The Lune. Both the North Staffordshire Handicap over 2 miles, and the 1 ½ miles Copeland Handicap were secured by Mr John Osborne’s Seducer. In 1858 the Potters Plate was won by Mr John Osborne’s Spider. Although racing ceased in 1860, a subsequent period of racing took place between 1878 and 1880, with the final card held on Thursday 15th April 1880.
Tuesday 7th & Wednesday 8th August 1855
W T Copeland Champagne Stakes for 2YO over 5 furlongs
1. St Dunstan owned by Mr Copeland
2. The Lune owned by Mr Copeland
3. Mountain Breeze owned by Mr W H Scott
Despite being 7/4 favourite, Mountain Breeze was beaten into third by the W T Copeland pair.
The North Staffordshire Handicap over 2 miles
1. Seducer owned by Mr John Osborne
2. Whalebone owned by Mr Flintoff
3. Morning Star owned by Mr Palmer
The Newcastle Stakes over a mile
1. Cockspur owned by Mr Sparrow
2. Syren owned by Mr Jenkenson
3. Field Marshall owned by Mr Copeland
The Copeland Handicap over 1 ½ miles
1. Seducer owned by Mr J Osborne
2. Kiteflyer owned by Mr H Wallow
3. Maid of Cadiz owned by Mr Jones
Very grateful to Craig Sutton for the scan of the rare jug commemorating the North Staffordshire races held in 1858.
Tuesday 3rd August 1858
The Potters’ Plate over a mile
1. Spider, 3 year old owned by Mr John Osborne
2. Apollo, 3 year old owned by Mr Gulliver
3. Junior Wrangler, 3 year old owned by Mr Cockin
Betting: 5/4 Joan of Arc, 5/2 Junior Wrangler, 3/1 Spider
After a lapse a subsequent period of racing took place between 1878 and 1880, with a final meeting held on 15th April 1880
An oval course of a mile on the outskirts of Stoke on Trent.
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
