Earliest meeting: Wednesday 3rd April 1805
Final meeting: Thursday 28th April 1808
The North Yorkshire market town of Skipton on the River Aire, also known as Skipton-in-Craven, first held a race meeting on Wednesday 3rd April 1805 when the feature 10 Guineas Sweepstake was won by Cleveland owned by Mr G Hutton. The final 2 day meeting took place on Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th April 1808 and saw the Duke of Hamilton’s Petrenius defeat Clotilda to win the opening Sweepstake. It was uncertain after the meeting whether this would be the last in the town, but an announcement in December confirmed that, after much discussion, there would be no further meetings in the town. However, racing did return on 28th March 1845, although the meeting was known by then as the Craven meeting.
Wednesday 3rd April 1805
Wednesday 3rd & Thursday 4th April 1805
Skipton Sweepstakes over 2 miles
1. Whynot owned by Captain Chamberlain
2. Unnamed horse by Cavendish owned by Mr C Parker
3. In a field of 6 Whynot was the 1-2 favourite
Skipton All Age Sweepstakes over 2 miles
1. Saxoni owned by Mr G Hutton
2. Sir Sidney owned by Mr Walker
In a field of 5 Saxoni was 1-2 favourite
Skipton Maiden Plate over 2 miles
1. Didapper owned by Mr W Hutchinson
2. Sir Charles owned by Mr Dent
3. Unnamed filly by Hammer owned by Mr Harris
Thursday 28th April 1808
Macaroni Stakes twice round
1. Hambletonian, bay filly owned by Mr Gascoigne
2. Unnamed bay gelding by Diomed owned by Mr J Field
3. Aper, brown colt owned by Mr T Chamberlain
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
