Earliest meeting: Wednesday 5th May 1779
Final meeting: Tuesday 29th March 1842
The ancient North Yorkshire market town of Pickering is in the Ryedale district of the county. It is located in beautiful countryside on the border of the North York Moors, overlooking the Vale of Pickering. Races were first recorded in the vicinity of the town on Wednesday 5th May 1779 when Orpheus gained a hollow victory over a mile at 2/7 favourite. He was owned by Mr Coates and beat Trusty and Fortune. The later Port Stakes was won by Mr Ayrton’s Lucy at 7/4 on favourite.Three years later a 2 day meeting was held on Pickering Common from Tuesday 7th to Wednesday 8th May 1782. The Town Plate over 4 miles was won by Weasel who beat Wonderful and Duchess, while the 2 mile Port Stakes went to Mr Cornforth’s Miss Kitty. There was a lull in the meetings in the early part of the 19th century, but a steeplechase meeting was held on Tuesday 17th March 1840 when the principal Steeplechase saw Mr Lamplugh’s Mischief defeat Derryanne, while the Silver Cup went to Mr J Wardell’s Miss Patty. The final meeting took place on Tuesday 29th March 1842. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Lord Rockingham, Sir W Milner, Sir W Vavasour |
| Principal Races |
The Port Stakes, Town Plate, Pickering Steeplechase, Silver Cup |
Wednesday 5th May 1779
The Port Stakes over 1 mile
1. Lucy, bay filly owned by Mr Ayrton
2. Baggage, bay filly owned by Mr Maynard
3. Tantrum, bay filly owned by Lord Rockingham |
Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th May 1782 |
Pickering Town Plate over 4 miles
1. Weasel owned by Mr Garforth
2. Wonderful owned by Mr Emmerson
3. Duchess owned by Mr Burdon
The Port Stakes run over 2 miles
1. Miss Kitty owned by Mr Cornforth
2. Imperatrix owned by Mr Pratt
3. Paymaster owned by Mr Bethell |
| Tuesday 29th March 1842 |
The Pickering Stakes over 1 ½ miles
1. Insane owned by Mr Golden
2. Donna Maria owned by Mr Metcalfe
The Pickering Hurdle Race
1. Meg Merillies owned by Mr Boyes |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 29th March 1842 and results are shown above. |
| Course today |
On Pickering Common. |
| 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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