Earliest meeting: Wednesday 5th February 1853
Final meeting: Wednesday 14th January 1857
The Oxfordshire village of Wendlebury lies just 2 miles south west of Bicester, and the Manor of Wendlebury, owned by Geoffrey de Mandeville in 1070, remained in his family for the next 150 years. In the middle of the 19th century the village held its own race meetings, the first of which took place on Wednesday 5th February 1853. The principal event was for a 25 Guineas Silver Cup on a hunting course which started in Mr North’s field near the Oxford and Bicester Railway, headed for Islip and rounded Wendlebury Church before jumping a mill brook and on to the finish in a field near Redmore Copse. The demanding course contained 20 fences, with the race being won by Phoenix, beating a field of nine by 3 lengths. Racing continued in the village the next year on Tuesday 15th March when the Aristocratic Steeplechases were staged. The 3 ½ mile course included 23 fences, Rowler Brook and finished opposite Langford Lane. A field of 10 contested the Wendlebury Cup, each carrying 11 st 10 lbs, and it was won in clever style by Mr Greenwood on Kiva. The later Hack Stakes went to Mr Davenport’s Kicking Jenny. The final meeting took place on Wednesday 14th January 1857. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr Perrin, Mr Figg, Mr Tollitt |
| Principal Races |
Wendlebury 25 Guineas Silver Cup, Hack Stakes |
Wednesday 5th February 1853
Wendlebury 25 Guineas Silver Cup over 4 miles
1. Phoenix, aged horse owned by Mr Perrin
2. Dreadnought, aged horse owned by Mr Figg
3. Paveaway, aged horse owned by Mr Tollitt |
The only recorded meeting took place on Wednesday 14th January 1857. |
| Course today |
A 4 mile course from a field near the Oxford and Bicester railway via Islip and Wendlebury Church to Redmore Copse. |
| 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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