Earliest Meeting: Thursday 11th April 1678
Final Meeting: Thursday 2nd April 1691
The small Lincolnshire village of North Rauceby, in the civil parish of North Kesteven, lies 4 miles north-west of Sleaford and has a church, dedicated to St Peter, which has a spire 33 metres high. To the west of the village is Rauceby Heath, and further to the west is Caythorpe Heath which stretches from Ermine Street to Byards Leap. In the latter part of the 17th century races were held regularly on Rauceby Heath, then referred to as Rosby Heath. The earliest record of a meeting was on Thursday 11th April 1678 when a £20 Plate was contested for horses under 7 years of age. Every entrant had to be shown 3 weeks before the day of the race at the weighing post on the Caythorp (sic) Course to the Treasurer or his Deputy. Horses which had already won a race to the value of £5 or more were exempt from taking part, and all fees had to be paid to the Treasurer a month before the race. Further regular meetings followed, including on Thursday 5th April 1688 when a £20 Plate for horses under 7 years old was contested, with the winner being sold for £20. Three years later a second meeting took place on Thursday 2nd April 1691 when horses had to be shown 3 weeks beforehand to check their names, sizes, colours and markings. The £20 Plate was raced for over Rosby (Rauceby) Heath. There is no further evidence of racing in the vicinity of the village.
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.
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
