Earliest meeting: Monday 24th July 1837
Final meeting: Tuesday 21st July 1840
Racing began in Dudley as early as June 1807, and certainly Dudley and Tipton races were being staged at Dudley Port by 1826. However, the first two day meeting billed as ‘Dudley, Tipton and West Bromwich races’ took place on the Earl of Dudley’s estate at Tipton on Monday 24th and Tuesday 25th July 1837. The one mile course was situated between Castle Hill and Tipton Road. The card opened with the Dudley Castle Stakes over 2 miles which went to Mr Walmsley’s Catamaran, while the Tipton Stakes was won by Filho da Puta, owned by Mr James. On the second day the West Bromwich Stakes saw Mr Ongley’s Donnington beat Miss Gwynne. Meetings continued to be billed under all 3 places until the 1841 meeting reverted to ‘Dudley and Tipton Races. The last for West Bromwich, the two day meeting on Monday 20th and Tuesday 21st July 1840, opened with the Borough and County Members’ Plate which went to Mr Green’s Fat Jack, while the West Bromwich Stakes was won by Finality for Mr Robinson. Although Dudley and Tipton races continued for up to eight more years, West Bromwich was not mentioned again, except in the index part of the 1841 Racing Calendar. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Right Hon. Lord Ward, Sir F L H Goodrick |
| Principal Races |
Dudley Castle Stakes, Worcestershire Stakes, West Bromwich Stakes, Tipton Stakes |
Monday 20th July 1840
The West Bromwich Stakes over 1 ½ miles
1. Finality, brown mare owned by Mr Robinson
2. Sam Weller, bay gelding owned by Mr Davis
3. Single Peeper, bay gelding owned by Mr S Parker |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 21st July 1840. |
| Course today |
On the Earl of Dudley’s property at Tipton. |
| 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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