ELLESMERE HUNT RACECOURSE

Aintree racecourse;Ascot;Ayr;Bangor;Bath;Beverley;Brighton;Carlisle;Cartmel;Catterick;Cheltenham Festival;Chepstow;Chester;Doncaster St Leger;Epsom Derby;Exeter racecourse;Fakenham;Folkestone;Fontwell Park;Glorious Goodwood;Hamilton Park;Haydock Park;Hereford Racecourse;Hexham;Huntingdon;Kelso;Kempton Park;Leicester;Lingfield;Ludlow;Market Rasen;Musselburgh;Newbury Racecourse;Newcastle;Newmarket;Newton Abbot;Nottingham;Perth;Plumpton;Pontefract Racecourse;Redcar;Ripon;Salisbury;Sandown Park;Sedgefield;Southwell;Stratford;Taunton;Thirsk;Towcester;Uttoxeter;Warwick;Wetherby;Wincanton;Windsor;Wolverhampton;Worcester;Yarmouth;York Ebor

Earliest meeting: Thursday 4th October 1866
Final meeting: Thursday 6th October 1870
The rich hunting grounds of Cheshire were blessed with a number of racecourses, one of which was used by the Ellesmere Hunt Group. The inaugural meeting was held on Thursday 4th October 1866 on a course on the cavalry field near The Newnes, complete with temporary viewing stand situated in front of the winning post. The opening Browlow Stakes, over 4 furlongs, was won by Mr E Foulkes Mountain Maid, although the feature race was the Tradesmen’s Plate won by Nuneaton. Races were well supported for the next 4 years until a final meeting on Thursday 6th October 1870. The last Brownlow Cup was won by Cotton, the Ellesmere Stakes by Artesian, and the concluding race, the Shropshire Stakes, was won by Robin.

This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below.
Local Patrons Honourable Adelbert Cust, Captain Cockayne Cust, Mr R Wynne
Principal Races Brownlow Stakes, Tradesmen's Plate, Wynnstay Hunt Cup, Otley Park Stakes

The article below is from the Oswestry Advertiser and gives details of the meeting which took place on Thursday 4th October 1866, and is shown courtesy of the British Newspaper Archives Online.

The article below is from the Wrexham Advertiser and gives details of the meeting which took place on Thursday 17th October 1867, and is shown courtesy of the British Newspaper Archives Online.

The article below is from the Bell’s Life and Sporting Chronicle and gives details of the meeting which took place on Thursday 22nd October 1868, and is shown courtesy of the British Newspaper Archives Online.

The article below is from the Wellington Journal and gives details of the meeting which took place on Thursday 7th October 1869, and is shown courtesy of the British Newspaper Archives Online.

The article below is from the Wrexham Advertiser and gives details of the meeting which took place on Thursday 6th October 1870, and is shown courtesy of the British Newspaper Archives Online.

The final meeting took place on Thursday 6th October 1870.
Course today Initially at Canal Meadow, then on to The Newnes and finally in a field behind the Bridgewater Arms Hotel.
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

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.
ORDER FORM
Download an order form
  Quantity Cost
Volume 1 North of Hatfield £19.99 + £4 postage    
Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage    
Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage    
Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage    
Volumes 1 - 4 £54.96 + £5 postage    
Postage & Packaging    
Total    
Email order form to johnwslusar@gmail.com