Earliest meeting: Tuesday 4th September 1838
Final meeting: Thursday 5th September 1872
The Cheshire town of Wilmslow, South of Manchester and close to Alderley Edge, first held races on Linda Common, a three-day meeting from Tuesday 4th to Thursday 6th September 1838. The Town Plate over 2 miles was won by The Lady, for Mr Hodgson, who defeated Little john and Lady Blessington, although Lady Blessington gained her revenge in the Innkeepers' Plate later in the day. The next year a meeting, organised by the Manchester Garrison, was staged on Wilmslow racecourse on Tuesday 1st October 1839. However, it was to be a further 17 years before racing returned to the town for a prolonged spell of racing each September from 1856 to 1872. A 3-day meeting took place from Tuesday 2nd to Thursday 4th September 1856 when the prestigious Wilmslow Cup was won by Mr Hurst's Posy, and the same horse won the Innkeepers' Handicap the next day. A two-day meeting was staged on Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th September 1866 and proved to be very good for Mr Tom Smith who won the Innkeepers' Handicap on day one and followed up by landing the Trafford Park Stakes on the second day with Dermot Asthore. The final meeting took place on Thursday 5th September 1872.
Tuesday 4th September 1838
Ladies Purse (50 sovereigns) twice round
1. GULLIVARE chestnut filly owned by Mr Gore
Wednesday 5th September 1838
Wilmslow Town Plate over 2 miles
1. THE LADY bay mare owned by Mr Hodgson
2. LITTLE JOHN bay gelding owned by Mr Wascoe
3. LADY BLESSINGTON bay mare owned by Mr Brown
Manchester Stakes (15 sovereigns) twice round and the distance
1. LUCY bay mare owned by Mr Lamb
Gentlemen’s Purse (50 sovereigns) twice round and the distance
1. LADY BLESSINGTON bay mare owned by Mr Brown
2. ERIN
3. BRAGH
5 ran
Thursday 6th September 1838
Innkeepers' Purse (50 sovereigns) twice round and the distance
1. FAIR PLAY bay gelding owned by Mr Marlow
Wilmslow Handicap twice round and the distance
1. ST JOHN bay gelding owned by Mr Lakin
On Tuesday 1st October 1839 the Manchester Garrison organised a race meeting on the Wilmslow Racecourse when the Stewards were Edward Pryse and James Johnstone. The principal race, the Trial Sweepstake, was won by Mr Milbanke's Virgin
Tuesday 1st October 1839
The Trial Sweepstake over 1 1/2 miles
1. VIRGIN (4/1) bay filly owned by Mr Milbanke and ridden by Dundas
2. PEACEMAKER (5/1) bay gelding owned and ridden by Captain France
3. BACHELOR (5/1) brown gelding owned by Captain Douglas and ridden by Munro
4. WARWICK (10/1) brown gelding owned by Mr Knox and ridden by Dickson
5. ANNETTE (10/1) bay mare owned and ridden by Mr Willan
6. FLORA (10/1) bay mare owned by Captain Smyth and ridden by Captain Jones
7. WHIPCORD (5/1) bay horse owned and ridden by Lord Gifford
8. LANCER (2/1 fav) brown horse owned and ridden by Captain Knight
9. MULEY MOLOCH (10/1) brown gelding owned by Mr Pryse and ridden by Phillips
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the 1842 map shown below.
Tuesday 2nd September 1856
Wilmslow Cup over 1 ½ miles
1. Posy, brown mare owned by Mr Hurst
2. Miss Hatch, brown mare owned by Mr Rickards
3. Betsy B, chestnut filly owned by Mr Carr
Wednesday 5th & Thursday 6th September 1866
The Wilmslow Innkeepers Handicap over 1 ½ miles
1. Dermot Asthore owned by Mr T Smith
2. Havannah owned by Mr Rickards
3. Jessie owned by Captain Turner
The Macclesfield Plate over a mile
1. Marmion owned by Captain Turner
2. King Charming owned by Lieutenant Higson
3. Nidderdale owned by Mr Dimmock
The Trafford Park Handicap over 1 ¼ miles
1. Dermot Asthore owned by Mr T Smith
2. East Stanley owned by Mr Turner
3. War Whoop owned by Mr Jones
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
