Earliest meeting: Thursday 14th August 1855
Final meeting: Friday 4th September 1857
The East Yorkshire seaside town of Withernsea is noted for its 39 metre tall lighthouse. The town held its own races on Thursday 14th August 1855 when entries were made at the Queen’s Hotel, and Mr Warriner served an Ordinary at the same venue after the races had ended. A 2 day meeting took place 2 years later on Thursday 3rd and Friday 4th September 1857, on a course at Holym Carrs, about a mile from the town centre. The circular course had a circumference of a mile and a straight run in of barely 2 furlongs. The Trial Stakes was won by The Lady of Rohallon for Mr Howsham, beating Gammon and Ella, while in the Holderness Stakes Aura defeated Queen of the Isle and Polly. Races continued to be held in the town on a number of occasions, but generally outside the rules of racing. Racing took place on the Sands on Thursday 18th August 1864, and even as late as March 1946 a Withernsea Derby on the Sands was proposed. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr A Bannister,Mr W Kirk, Mr J Malarn (Stewards) |
| Principal Races |
Grimston Cup, Withernsea Trial Stakes, Holderness Stakes |
Friday 3rd September 1857
The Palace Handicap over 2 miles
1. Fairy, 3 year old owned by Mr C Ashton
2. Redcar, 3 year old owned by Mr Peters
3. Tom Newcome, 3 year old owned by Mr Keesley
Betting: 6/4 Courtenay, 3/1 Tom Newcombe, 3/1 Miss Allen, 4/1 Fairy |
| The final meeting took place on Friday 4th September 1857 |
| Course today |
A one mile course at Holym Carrs, about a mile from Withernsea. |
| 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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