Earliest meeting: Thursday 6th October 1726
Final meeting: Wednesday 27th October 1762.
The earliest recorded meeting in the Yorkshire town of Bedale was on Thursday 6th October 1726 on the racecourse situated on what is the present Bedale Cricket Ground. The feature race, the Bedale Chase, saw Mr Johnstone’s chestnut colt defeat entries by Lord Gower and Mr Shaw. Baily’s Racing Register first included the racing results from Bedale two years later when the meeting was held on the first Thursday after Michaelmas in September. The final meeting took place on Tuesday 26th October 1762, although minor meetings were revived in October 1876, and repeated again on Thursday 4th October 1877. However, neither event was under racing rules, but led to later, more regular point to point meetings being organised.
The Bedale Chase B16
1. Unnamed chestnut colt owned by Mr Johnstone
2. Unnamed chestnut colt owned by Lord Gower and ridden by Hutton
3. Unnamed chestnut colt owned by Mr Shaw
An amazing field of 17 started and the majority fell.
Thursday 30th September 1728
Bedale 30 Guineas Plate
1. Moor-Hen owned by The Duke of Bolton
2. Unnamed Grey colt owned by Mr Gallant
Up to 1731 it was the norm for horses to be at least 5 before racing, indeed King’s Plate horses had to be at least 6 years old. There were rare instances, for example at Black Hambleton in 1727, when races for 4 year olds were staged, but at Bedale on 1st October 1731 a race for 3 year olds carrying 8 stone was held over a single 3 mile race in which 9 faced the starter.
Tuesday 26th to Wednesday 27th October 1762
Bedale 2 mile Purse
1. Nancy Dawson owned by Mr Crowther
2. Hopewell owned by Mr Pearson
3. Molly Be Steady owned by Miss Betty Pearson
Bedale 2 mile Weight for Age Handicap
1. Twigg owned by Mr Cornforth
2. Newland owned by Mr Jollife
3. Ganymede owned by Mr Scroope
Wednesday 14th October 1761
Bedale 4-year-old £50 Stakes over 2 miles
1. SYBILLA grey filly owned by Mr James Bland
2. BRISK brown gelding owned by Mr Merrington
3. BOLTON chestnut colt owned by Mr Norris
4. CREMONA bay filly owned by Lady Northumberland
5. SPINSTER grey filly owned by Hon. John Smith Barry
6. STELLA bay filly owned by Mr Thomas Stapleton
7. HIGHLAND LADDY bay colt owned by Mr Matthew Smith
8. YOUNG SURLY brown colt owned by Mr Wilson
Thursday 15th October 1761
Bedale 5-year-old and above £50 Stakes over 4 miles
1. CAMILLA bay mare owned by Mr Coatesworth
2. FAIR FORESTER chestnut mare owned by Mr Robert Williams
3. SOGG bay horse owned by Sir Bellingham Graham
4. VALIANT chestnut mare owned by Mr Ralph Smith
5. CUPID brown horse owned by Mr Robinson
6. CADUCIUS bay horse owned by Mr Redshaw
The final meeting took place on Wednesday 27th October 1762.
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
