Earliest meeting: March 1840
Final meeting: Tuesday 10th March 1846
The Cambridgeshire village of Yaxley lies just south of Peterborough, deep in the fens. Historically it was part of the smaller county of Huntingdonshire, and lies just 3 miles north east of the important Norman Cross crossroad on the A1. In the middle of the 19th century Yaxley held its own series of race meetings, with the first taking place in March 1840. This was deemed sufficiently successful for further meetings to take place over the next 6 years, with a final card held on Monday 10th March 1846. That meeting was held on a 3 ½ mile course owned by Mr J Faux near Kate’s Cabin on the Great North road, the course running parallel to the road for the entire 3 ½ miles. Selim made the early running and Peter Simple found the first fence anything but simple and fell. At the third fence Exchange also departed and it was left to Lady Aunt to take up the running until they reached the crook, at which point Selim regained the lead and won as he pleased.

Tuesday 10th March 1846
Yaxley Sweepstake over 3 ½ miles
1. Selim, aged horse owned by Mr Thomas Warsop
2. Lady Aunt, aged mare owned by Mr Thomas Percival
3. Peter Simple, aged horse owned by Mr Bellair
4. Exchange, aged horse owned by Mr Dean

The final meeting took place on Tuesday 10th March 1846.

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