Wootton (Beds) Racecourse

WOOTTON (BEDS) RACECOURSE

Aintree racecourse;Ascot;Ayr;Bangor;Bath;Beverley;Brighton;Carlisle;Cartmel;Catterick;Cheltenham Festival;Chepstow;Chester;Doncaster St Leger;Epsom Derby;Exeter racecourse;Fakenham;Folkestone;Fontwell Park;Glorious Goodwood;Hamilton Park;Haydock Park;Hereford Racecourse;Hexham;Huntingdon;Kelso;Kempton Park;Leicester;Lingfield;Ludlow;Market Rasen;Musselburgh;Newbury Racecourse;Newcastle;Newmarket;Newton Abbot;Nottingham;Perth;Plumpton;Pontefract Racecourse;Redcar;Ripon;Salisbury;Sandown Park;Sedgefield;Southwell;Stratford;Taunton;Thirsk;Towcester;Uttoxeter;Warwick;Wetherby;Wincanton;Windsor;Wolverhampton;Worcester;Yarmouth;York Ebor

Earliest meeting: Wednesday 16th February 1848 Final meeting: Wednesday 16th February 1848 The Bedfordshire village of Wootton, in the northern part of the county alongside neighbouring hamlets Keeley Green and Hall End, has existed since the 1086 Domesday Book. The village held its own race meeting on Wednesday 16th February 1848 over a 3 mile course of good hunting ground with all of the fences of the ‘usual hunting character’. The race was a Match between Mr Bevill’s Alexander, ridden by himself, against The Gardener owned by Mr Death and ridden by Armstrong. Both horses negotiated the fences well, but Alexander showed too much pace over the 3 mile course to win with ease. There are no further records of racing taking place in the village.
This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below.
Local Patrons	Mr Bevill, Mr Death
Principal Races	Wootton 3 mile Match
Wednesday 16th February 1848 Wootton Match over 3 miles 1. Alexander, bay gelding owned by Mr Bevill 2. The Gardener, aged horse owned by Mr Death
The only recorded meeting took place on Wednesday 16th February 1848.
Course today	Over a 3 mile course of good hunting country on the edge of Wootton.
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

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.

ORDER FORM
Download an order form
	Quantity	Cost
Volume 1 North of Hatfield £19.99 + £4 postage
Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage
Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage
Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage
Volumes 1 - 4 £54.96 + £5 postage
Postage & Packaging
Total
Email order form to johnwslusar@gmail.com