Earliest meeting: Saturday 5th April 1845
Final meeting: Tuesday 9th April 1872
The West Lothian village of Uphall, just 22 kilometres from Edinburgh and 48 kilometres from Glasgow, is an expanding village today, but back in 1845 it was very small, yet there was still sufficient interest to hold a race meeting billed as the North British races on Saturday 5th April 1845. The village was surrounded by glorious open countryside which was ideal for hunting, and was used as a setting for a number of race meetings. On Thursday 21st April 1859 a meeting was held on Bangour Farm over a 3 mile course, 2/3rds of which was grass and the remainder ploughed fields. There were difficult natural fences to negotiate along with stone walls and a water jump. However, the organisers were rewarded with a large crowd, especially from Bathgate and Linlithgow, and they witnessed a match between Heather Bell for Mr Aitkinson, and the runner-up Mr Gooche’s Highlander. In the Regimental Handicap which followed, Mr Boyce’s Smoke beat Captain Riddell’s Sledgehammer. It was to be a further 13 years before another meeting was staged on the same course on Tuesday 9th April 1872. The feature of the meeting was the Lothian Hunt Steeplechase in which Lady Emma beat Trumpeter. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 3 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Lord Rosehill, Sir Hugh Dalrymple, Sir Arthur Halkett, Captain Harrison |
| Principal Races |
Uphall Free Handicap, Lothian Hunt Steeplechase |
Thursday 21st April 1859
Uphall Free Handicap over 3 ½ miles
1. Lobster, bay gelding owned by Mr Irvine
2. Ingomar, grey gelding owned by Mr Charlton
3. Little Bob, bay gelding owned by Mr Scott |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 9th April 1872. |
| Course today |
At Bangour Farm over a 3 mile course with fences, stone walls and a water jump. |
| 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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