Earliest meeting: Wednesday 25th March 1840
Final meeting: Wednesday 13th March 1867
Shipston-on-Stour, a town in Warwickshire on the River Stour, is located 10 miles south of Stratford. In the time of the Domesday Book it was known as Scepwestun and it was only in the 14th century that it became Sepestonon-Sture. In the middle of the 19th century it held a prolonged series of race meetings, with entries for the first meeting on Wednesday 25th March 1840 being made at The Bowling Green, Warwick. The next meeting was on Wednesday 14th April 1841 when the opening race, a Sweepstake, was won by President owned by Mr J Garret. That meeting was seen as an improvement on the previous meeting and racing continued for the next 26 years. The final steeplechase meeting took place on Wednesday 13th March 1867 when the Open Hunt Steeplechase over 3 miles saw Reinford, owned by Mr W Jones, beat Sir William. Later in the day the Farmers’ Steeplechase was won by Mr Roberts’ Cotswold, while the Yeomanry Cup saw Marble Slab beat Red Rover. The meeting was not well supported, had poor quality racing and was not repeated. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Lord Willoughby de Broke, Captain Peach |
| Principal Races |
Shipston Open Hunt Steeplechase, Yeomanry Cup |
Wednesday 13th March 1867
Shipston Hunt Steeplechase over 3 miles
1. Forest Lass, bay mare owned by Mr W Blencowe
2. Laura, bay mare owned by Mr E Whitbourne
3. Brown Holland, aged horse owned by Lord Willoughby de Broke |
The final meeting took place on Wednesday 13th March 1867. |
| Course today |
On Little Hill, a short distance from the town. |
| 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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