HARDMEAD RACECOURSE

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Earliest meeting: Monday 4th October 1762
Final meeting: Monday 4th October 1762
The Historical List of Horse Races and Matches of 1762 includes the results from a meeting at Hardmead on Monday 4th October 1762. Today Hardmead has a lock on the River Lee and is close to the villages of Great and Little Amwell who, in turn, are just 1 ½ miles from Ware. The sole meeting consisted of Stakes and Purse races, with the principal 4 mile Sweepstake won by Mr Dockery’s unnamed colt which beat Bumper into second place. There are no further records of a meeting taking place in this hamlet.
This racecourse is covered in Volume 4 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below.
Local Patrons Mr Dixon, Mr Dockery, Mr Hankin
Principal Races Sweepstakes & Purses

Monday 4th October 1762

Hardmead Sweepstake over 4 miles
1. Unnamed colt owned by Mr Dockery
2. Bumper owned by Mr Hankin
3. Stradler owned by Mr Dixon
The final meeting took place on Monday 4th October 1762.
Course today In fields on the outskirts of the hamlet of Hardmead.
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.
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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    
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Email order form to johnwslusar@gmail.com