Earliest meeting: Wednesady 21st June 1732
Final meeting: Thursday 26th October 1899
Racing was first recorded in the Cumbrian town of Penrith in 1732 when a 3-day meeting opened on Wednesday 21st June 1732 with a race sponsored by Hugh Lumley. Almost half a century later, in 1774 another 3 day meeting stretched from Wednesday 13th to Friday 15th July 1774. The course was situated on the north side of the town, close to the Salkeld Road, and punters were able to look down on the town as they enjoyed their racing. The meeting opened with a Plate won by Mr Kaye’s Caledonia, and on the second day the Weight for Age race went to Buff owned by Mr C Howard, the MP for the area. The meetings later became the Penrith and Inglewood races and were well supported for over a century, with meetings often following the Carlisle meeting of the previous week. After a good day of racing a stag was usually let loose to be hunted before an Ordinary was served at the George Inn. The final meeting in the area was staged on Thursday 26th October 1899.
Earl of Lonsdale, Lieut. General Orde, Sir P Musgrave
Wednesday 21st June 1732
Penrith Ten Guineas 5-y-o Plate sponsored by Hugh Lumley over 2 miles
1. BULLY ROCK, grey horse owned by Mr Machell 1 1 2
2. SMILING MOLLY, grey mare owned by Mr Whelpdale 2 2 1
3. PUGMORE, grey horse owned by Mr Watson 3 3 3
4. DIAMOND, grey horse owned by Mr Huddleston dist
5. SORE HEELS, grey mare owned by Mr Ralph dist
6. SWALLOW, grey horse owned by Mr Hodson
6 ran
Thursday 22nd June 1732
10 Guineas Plate over 2 miles
1. LAST TIME OF ASKING, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Butler 3 1 1
2. MOOR POOT, bay mare owned by Mr Binks 1 2 2
3. KEEN ARROW, grey gelding owned by Mr Stoker 2 3 3
3 ran
Friday 23rd June 1732
20 Guineas Plate over 2 miles
1. CAMILLA, bay mare owned by Mr Salkeld 1 1
2. BOG TROTTER, grey horse owned by Sir William Maxwell 2 2
3. FAIR PLAY, bay gelding owned by Mr Dowthwaite
3 ran
Friday 15th July 1774
Penrith Give & Take over 4 miles
1. Speculator, brown horse owned by Mr Coulson
2. Creeping Molly, bay mare owned by Mr Morrison
Wednesday 6th October to Friday 8th October 1824
Inglewood Hunt 5 Guineas Sweepstake over 2 miles
1. Unnamed gelding by Competitor owned by Mr T Hudson
2. Classic owned by Sir P Musgrave
Penrith Town Plate over 3 miles
1. North Briton owned by Mr Ferguson
2. Young Corrector owned by Mr Simpson
The Cavalry Cup over 2 miles
1. Thunderclift owned by Mr Margetson
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.
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However, there was a final meeting in the area which took place on Thursday 26th October 1899.
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
