Earliest meeting: Wednesday 29th July 1863
Final meeting: Friday 21st July 1865
The tiny Norfolk village of Stowbridge, on the Great Ouse, lies between Kings Lynn and Downham Market, with the railway line from Kings Lynn to Cambridge passing through the village. The village took advantage of the decline in racing at nearby Downham Market to launch its own meeting on Wednesday 29th July 1863. The tight 6 furlong course in fields on the edge of the village welcomed guests who had been given lunch by Mr Griggs at the Crown Inn, and the feature race on the card, the Stowbridge Stakes over 1 ½ miles, was won by Mr Frost’s Freemason. The next year the meeting was held on the same course on Wednesday 3rd August 1864 when the Stowbridge Stakes saw Mr Haylock’s Princess beat Limas and Squib. The Stewards appreciated the course was tight and considered a new site with a 2 mile course, but the final meeting on Friday 21st July 1865 still took place on the usual course. The Westhead Stakes was won by Mr Hide’s Metty, and the Hunters Stakes went to Mr Archer’s Wicket, while the principal Stowbridge Stakes was won by Zara.

Sir Thomas Hare, Mr G Shelton & Mr C Neart (Stewards)

Friday 21st July 1865
Stowbridge Stakes over 1 ½ miles
1. Zara, brown mare owned by Mr Horwood
2. Freestone, bay mare owned by Mr Barker
3. Jenny, aged mare owned by Mr Philips

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

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