Earliest meeting: Monday 10th October 1831
Final meeting: Thursday 16th April 1846
Early records show that racing took place in the South Yorkshire town of Wath-on-Dearne, some 5 miles from Rotherham, on Monday 10th October 1831. However, the Leeds Intelligencer of 3rd September 1754, stated that the course was used to run a race called Cutlers Feast, so whilst the first time race results from the course were recorded was in 1831, the course had been in existence some considerable time before that date. That October 1831 meeting was a two-day Flat meeting which finished on Tuesday 11th October 1831. William Morgan, author of Strongholds of Satan (www.mainholmpress.co.uk) wrote, 'Races were held at Wath Wood, possibly in part on the Fitzwilliam family's training track, on 11th October 1831, for small sums, but a very fine porcelain cup too, which is shown below. There were also supposed to be races in the autumn of 1838 on a course altered by landowner Lord Milton to give his hundreds of friends some entertainment, but a riot between Irish and local railway workers saw them off, despite hopes they were merely postponed. In mid-April 1846 Mr Chandos Pole's The Unknown (T. Johnson) beat W. Story's Why-not (owner) in a match on the course over two miles for an unspecified sum.' Because the course was situated between Wath and Swinton, the racecourse was later known as Swinton Club racecourse when the Swinton Club organised their own series of races in the late 1870s which are covered in a different section. Although the final Flat racing was staged on Tuesday 11th October 1831, there was a National Hunt meeting on Thursday 16th April 1846 over 2 miles of good hunting ground, intersected by some trying fences. The main race was a Match between The Unknown, ridden by Mr T Johnson, and Why-Not ridden by Mr William Stott. The race was won in gallant style by The Unknown despite falling at the first fence.
Wath 3 Guineas Saddle, Wath Porcelain Cup, South West Y.Y.Cavalry Stakes
Monday 10th October 1831
Wath Porcelain Cup
1. Charlie owned by Mr Hunt
2. Moritz owned by Mr T Rodgers
I am grateful to Mr Giles Brearley and Wentworth Woodhouse for the photo of the porcelain Cup presented to Mr Hunt on Monday 10th October 1831.
Thursday 16th April 1846
Wath Match over 2 miles
1. The Unknown, a bay colt owned by Mr Pole
2. Why-Not, bay gelding owned by Mr William Stott
An article in the Mexborough & Swinton Times on 19th August 1927 made reference to the cup and produce a picture of it. At that point in time the cup was owned by Captain R H Radford.
Flat racing on 11th October 1831, with a National Hunt meeting on Thursday 16th April 1846.
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.
I am grateful to William Morgan, author of Strongholds of Satan (www.mainholmpress.co.uk) for the maps and aerial view of Wath/Swinton racecourse, indicating that the long spur had clearly been abandoned between about the 1830s and the mid/late 1850s.
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
