Earliest Meeting: Monday 20th June 1718
Final Meeting: Wednesday 22nd June 1718
The tiny Lincolnshire village of Surfleet, on the River Glen, lies in the South Holland district of the county just 3 miles north of Spalding. The village enjoys the benefit of the 10 acre Glen Park which has a woodland trail on its outskirts. However, back in the early 18th century the village held its own races which were advertised in the Stamford Mercury as Surfleetbridge Races. The 3 day meeting began on Whit Monday 1718 with a 30 Shillings Plate for a Saddle, after which a Foot Race for men took place, with the winner presented with a hat worth one guinea.
On the second day, Tuesday 21st June, there was a more valuable £4 Plate over 4 mile heats, with each horse carrying 9 stones. The final day of racing, Wednesday 22nd June, there was an even more valuable £8 Plate over 4 mile heats, with the winner being declared after 3 heats. The main organiser of the races was John Erle who accepted entries and acted as Clerk of the Course.
The newspaper extract below is shown courtesy of the Stamford Mercury and British Newspaper Online.
Although the meeting was widely advertised in the Stamford Mercury, there is no evidence that results were subsequently printed in the newspaper.
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
