Earliest meeting: Saturday 2nd April 1864
Final meeting: Saturday 27th March 1939
The Leicestershire village of Burton Lazars, some 2 miles south east of Melton Mowbray, first held racing in the mid 1800s. The village of barely 500 inhabitants was named after Burton Saint Lazarus and is famous for a leper colony which was opened in the village in the 1100s by Roger de Mowbray. Meetings were organised by the Melton Hunt Committee, taking place between Burton Flats and the Leesthorpe Hill, although it is thought that the course was only a temporary one laid out especially with flags for the annual races which were generally held on a Monday in March. The National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup, now contested at the annual Cheltenham Festival in March, was held at Burton Lazars on three occasions, starting on Saturday 2nd April 1864 when Game Chicken came second to Cooksboro’ but appealed to the stewards that the winning jockey was neither a farmer nor a gentleman and should not be classed as the winner. The appeal was upheld, notching Captain Arthur Smith another winner. In 1871 Daybreak, also ridden by Captain Arthur Smith, was successful, while Friar John won in 1901 in the hands of Herbert Sidney. The meeting on Monday 7th April 1897 was a personal triumph for local jockey Mr W Gale who was successful on all of his 5 rides, beginning with Gamester, followed in order by Pirate, Arran, Erin’s Beauty and Glamis. The races, which continued until 1939, were so well respected that Edward, Prince of Wales, and the Duke of Gloucester attended regularly, some staying in the village for the duration of the races. Indeed, the Prince of Wales rode Kinlark in the Open Steeplechase Plate in 1923, finishing a very creditable fourth behind Culprit, and went on to ride Little Christy in the Ladies Plate, although the horse refused behind Don Jose. At that meeting the Prince of Wales brought Prince George with him and they both stayed at the Craven Lodge Club overnight. The final meeting took place on Saturday 27th March 1939, although after the War successful point to point meetings were held, continuing today at Garthorpe.
National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup, Leicestershire Hunt Chase, Melton Open Handicap Chase, Ladies Purse
The National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup, over 4 miles and 24 fences, is now contested at the annual Cheltenham Festival in March, but on 3 occasions it was held at Burton Lazars, and the results are shown below. On the first occasion in 1864 Game Chicken came in second to Cooksboro’ but appealed to the stewards that the winning jockey was neither a farmer nor a gentleman and should not be classed as the winner. The appeal was upheld.
1864 Game Chicken ridden by Captain Arthur Smith
1871 Daybreak ridden by Captain Arthur Smith
1901 Friar John ridden by Herbert Sidney
I am grateful to John Fergusson for the picture of his great-grandfather winning the Ladies Purse in April 1907. If anyone can provide more details of the race, or indicate other occasions when Arthur Hughes-Onlsow was successful, then email me.
Wednesday 28th March 1923
Melton Open Steeplechase over 3 miles 1 furlong
1. Culprit, 12st 3lbs owned by Colonel G Paynter
2. Climber, 11st 3lbs owned by Mr Gordon
3. Oliver III, 11st 3lbs owned by Mr G Payne
4. Kinlark, 11st 3lbs owned by HRH the Prince of Wales
Betting: 2/1 Culprit, 4/1 Hopeful, 5/1 Kinlark
The photos opposite and below are shown courtesy of Victoria Lees and are of the Burton Lazars racecourse on 31st March 1910 and the present day.
Ladies’ Purse over 3 miles
1. Cobbler’s Wax (3/1) owned and ridden by Captain G Paynter
2. I’m The One (10/11 fav) owned by Captain F Forester and ridden by Major Onslow
3. Vergy (10/1) owned and ridden by Mr A H Brocklehurst
Open Selling Steeplechase over 2 ¼ miles
1. Redditch (6/1) owned and ridden by Mr Leatham
2. Honey II (3/1) owned and ridden by Mr R Wyndham-Quin
3. Mimbar (5/1) owned by Mr E Tomlinson and ridden by Tales
Melton & Oakham Town Purse over 3 miles
1. Hainesby Lad (Evens fav) owned by Mr J C Munro and ridden by G W Lyall
2. Miss Patkin (5/1) owned and ridden by Captain G Paynter
3. Last Hope (5/1) owned by Mr H Beeby and ridden by F Lyall
Foxhunters’ Steeplechase over 2 ¼ miles
1. I’m The One (3/1) owned by Captain F Forester and ridden by Mr L G Moore
2. Ardri (3/1) owned and ridden by Captain G Paynter
3. Knighthood (Evens fav) owned and ridden by Mr T E Brooks
Leicestershire Hunt Steeplechase over 3 miles
1. Result II (4/1) owned by Mr E S Tomlinson and ridden by Mr J Bellamy
2. Enoch (5/1) owned and ridden by Captain G Foljambe
3. Bianca (10/1) owned by Mr D Ward and ridden by Mr R C Ward
Farmers’ Race over 2 ¼ miles
1. Malvern II (10/1) owned by Mr J G Baldock and ridden by Mr G Marshall
2. Cherry Boy (12/1) owned by Mr T W Dowse and ridden by r T C Dowse
3. Billy V (12/1) owned by Mr H Morris and ridden by Mr W Newcombe
Open Steeplechase Plate over 3 miles
1. Earnest (2/1 fav) owned and ridden by Captain G Paynter
2. Greek Play (6/1) owned by Mr E R Hanbury and ridden by Mr M B Bletsoe
3. Viz (3/1) owned and ridden by Mr F Crossley
The Prince of Wales (shown above) was able to enter horses in the Melton Hunt Steeplechases at Burton Lazars on 28th March 1923 as he belonged to the Duke of Beaufort's Hunt near Tetbury. He originally entered Kenlark, Little Favourite, Just an Idea and Little Christy, but, in the end, he partnered just two of them. The Prince had ridden at the Army point-to-point meeting at Arborfield the previous day, when his horse took a nasty fall. Kenlark, his Open Steeplechase mount, was presented to him by the Australian Mr J M Niall, a Melbourne sportsman, after the horse had won the £2000 Australian Steeplechase at Caulfield. The Melton Hunt meeting was a minor meeting in comparison to the heady days when the National Hunt Steeplechase, now part of the Cheltenham Festival, was regularly run at the Burton Lazars course. The full result of the Open Steeplechase was:-
Open Steeplechase over 3 miles 1 furlong
1. CULPRIT (2/1 fav) owned by Colonel George Paynter (Light blue, white sleeves), trained by Chadwick and ridden by Captain G N Bennett
2. CLIMBER (10/1) owned by Mr Gordon (Cherry, blue sash and cap, cornflower blue sleeves), trained privately and ridden by Gordon
3. OLIVER III (10/1) owned by Mr J W Payne (White, cerise cross-belt, blue cap), trained privately and ridden by W Lees
4. KINLARK (5/1) owned by HRH Prince of Wales (Red, light blue sleeves, black cap), trained privately and ridden by HRH Prince of Wales
5. HOPEFUL (4/1) owned by Mrs F A Spencer (Orange, purple sleeves, orange cap), trained by Spencer and ridden by Jack Anthony
6. RUFUS XXL (10/1) owned by Mr E S Tomlinson (Pink jacket and cap), trained by Tomlinson and ridden by H Tales
7. HUIC HOLLOA (5/1) owned by Mr W Waddington (Maroon, white hoops, quartered cap), trained by Waddington and ridden by R Lyall
8. REJOYCE (10/1) owned by Captain T S Black (Dark green, light blue hoops, green cap), trained by R Chamberlain and ridden by C Kelly
9. CHARLWALSH (10/1) owned by Mr N Martin (Salmon pink, white collar, cuffs and cap), trained by Slim and ridden by Mr Marshall
I am grateful to Paul Hill for providing a map showing the location of the Burton Lazars racecourse. It was taken from the 1967 Second Impression News Motorists Touring Maps and Gazetteer, by John Bartholomew and Son Ltd, Edinburgh.
I am grateful to Paul Hill for the aerial shot of the village of Burton Lazars shown below. The possible location of the old racecourse is indicated on the map in red. The races, which continued until 1939, were so well respected that Edward, Prince of Wales, and the Duke of Gloucester attended regularly, some staying in the village for the duration of the races.
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
