Earliest meeting: Tuesday 2nd April 1844
Final meeting: Friday 21st April 1865
The Warwickshire market town of Southam, on the River Stowe, lies in the Stratford-on-Avon district of the county. It is situated some 7 miles east of Leamington Spa and nearly 10 miles from Rugby. It has a rich history, being recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 when known as Sucham, and was a Royal Manor until 998 when it was gifted to Earl Lofwine by Ethelred the Unready. In the middle of the 19th century it held its own race meetings, initially on Tuesday 2nd April 1844 when the main Sweepstakes was won by Lycurgus, owned by Mr Jenkins, beating Vanguard and The Returned. Meetings continued for the next 7 years in conjunction with Royal Leamington Spa, after which they were advertised as Southam races. On Tuesday 28th January 1851 the event took place over an all grass course owned by Mr Whitehead, close to the Craven Arms, with 32 fences and a grandstand transported from Coventry racecourse. The Warwickshire Hunt Chase was won by Miss Mowbray, owned by Mr Carew, finishing in front of Lensquenet and Tamworth, while the Free Handicap Steeplechase went to Kilkenny for Captain Frazer. Races continued intermittently until a steeplechase meeting was held under rules on Friday 21st April 1865.
The articles below are shown courtesy of the British Newspaper Archives Online:-
Tuesday 28th January 1851
Grand Open Steeplechase over 4 miles
1. British Yeoman, brown gelding owned by Mr Carew
2. Mulligan, brown gelding owned by Mr Elmore
3. Verax, bay gelding owned by Mr W Keater
Betting: 6/4 British Yeoman, 4/1 St Helier, 4/1 Mulligan. 4/1 Verax
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
