Earliest meeting: Monday 3rd September 1838
Final meeting: Tuesday 1st September 1874
Oldbury, in the West Midlands, is part of the Black Country and has, over time, been in Worcestershire and Shropshire. The first meeting took place on Monday 3rd September 1838 on a course between the canal and Flash Brook. Two years later this was extended to a two day race meeting on Monday 31st August and Tuesday 1st September 1840 which proved to be good for Mr Chillingworth who won the Sweepstake over 2 miles with Fraility on the Monday, and the next day won the Oldbury Stakes with the same horse, beating The Wasp and Lillie. The town maintained its races for over 30 years, each year coinciding with Wakes Week. In 1851 a 3 day meeting was organised from Monday 1st to Wednesday 3rd September on a course near the Parrot Arms. Although meetings could just about be classified as horse race meetings, the 3 day meeting from Monday 29th to Wednesday 31st August 1853 only contained one race remotely connected to thoroughbreds, the rest being pony, Galloway or ‘foot’ races. The final 2 day meeting took place on Monday 31st August and Tuesday 1st September 1874. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr Chillingsworth, Mr Wadlow |
| Principal Races |
Oldbury Stakes, Oldbury Hurdle, Oldbury Sweepstakes |
Monday 31st August to Tuesday 1st September 1840 |
The Oldbury Sweepstakes over 2 miles
1. Frailty owned by Mr Chillingsworth
2. Unnamed gelding by Priam owned by Mr Williams
3. The Baron owned by Mr J.Walters
The Oldbury Hurdle Race over 2 miles and a distance
1. Mary Wood owned by Mr Wadlow
The Oldbury Stakes over 2 miles and a distance
1. Fraility owned by Mr Chillingsworth
2. The Wasp owned by Mr Page
3. Lillie owned by Mr Wood
4. Isabella owned by Mr Lowe |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 1st September 1874. |
| Course today |
Initially near the canal and latterly next to the Parrot Arms. |
| 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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