Earliest meeting: Thursday 13th August 1702
Final meeting: April 1807
Records imply that Bramham Moor Racecourse existed before 1702, although this is the earliest date on which reports can be found. The course was based close to the Yorkshire Town of Tadcaster and was well supported by Royalty. The Queen’s Plate was the principal race at the meeting held on Thursday 13th August 1702, while the Bramham Moor Gold Cup was won by Mr Hugh Bethell’s Ruffler. The Gold Cup, contested at the meeting, was donated by Queen Anne according to the London Gazette. Races continued to take place on the Moors outside of Tadcaster, the final report of such races was in April 1807 when a meeting took place at Bramham Spenn.

Bramham Gold Cup, Queen’s Plate, Branham Poor Plate

Bramham Moor Gold Cup
1. Ruffler owned by Mr Hugh Bethell

Races continued to take place on the Moors outside of Tadcaster, the final report of such races was in April 1807 when a meeting took place at Bramham Spenn.

Whilst the Bramham Moor racecourse has long since disappeared, the Badsworth & Bramham Hunt point to point meeting still takes place, most recently at Whitcliffe Grange near Ripon.

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