Earliest meeting: Tuesday 4th July 1732
Final meeting: Wednesday 22nd May 1844
The well to do market town of Holt in Norfolk is situated some 37 kilometres north of the city of Norwich and 56 kilometres east of Kings Lynn. It once had its own racecourse, beginning in the early part of the 18th century when a 3-day meeting was held between Tuesday 4th and Thursday 6th July 1732. Twenty years on, in the middle of the 18th century Holt staged a 4-day meeting between the 25th September and 28th September 1753. The feature race, held on Thursday 27th September, was the Norfolk Subscribers and Freeholders Stakes which was won by Dry Gripes for the Honourable Colonel Townsend. The racecourse was located at Red House Farm, built on the land surrounding the farmhouse, although by 1810 the farmhouse had been demolished and racing ceased. A new house, Holt Lodge, was then built on the site, and extended after 1810 when additional land was enclosed. In the middle of the 19th century a walled garden and orchard were added to the Lodge’s grounds, together with mixed plantations, shrubberies and a grand summerhouse. The estate was sold in 1854, and today Holt Lodge is a private house, although the extensive grounds are open to the public and are known as Holt Country Park.
Tuesday 4th July 1732
Holt 20 Guineas Purse
1. SWEETLIPS, brown mare owned by Mr Tuting 1 1 1
2. JILTING PEGGY, grey mare owned by Mr Webster 2 2 dist
3. SMALL HOPES, bay gelding owned by Rev M Burrel dist
3 ran
Wednesday 5th July 1732
Holt 10 Guineas Give & Take for Galloways
1. HOLLOW BACK, grey mare owned by Mr Greenwood 1 1
2. SNAIL, grey horse owned by Mr Leathes 2 2
2 ran
Thursday 6th July 1732
Holt 30 Guineas Purse
1. UNNAMED brown mare owned by Mr Tuting 1 1
2. ESSEX HUNTER, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Paddock 2 2
2 ran
Tuesday 25th - Friday 28th September 1753
Tuesday 25th September 1753 Holt Fifty Pounds Purse over 4 miles
1. Amelia owned by Captain Vernon
2. Gelding owned by Mr Gurdleston
Wednesday 26th September 1753 Holt Fifty Pounds Hunters Purse
1. Dung Cart owned by Mr Harvey
2. Satan owned by Lord Orford
3. Star owned by Mr Blake
4. Juno owned by Mr Long
5. Sourface owned by Mr Croft
6. Small Hopes owned by Mr Libbis
Thursday 27th September 1753 Norfolk Subscribers and Freeholders Stakes
1. Dry Gripes owned by Honourable Colonel Townsend
2. Mare owned by Mr Baines
3. Horse owned by Mr Dawson
4. Horse owned by Mr Carver
5. Mare owned by Mr Burlton
Friday 28th September 1753 Holt Sweepstakes
1. Nimrod owned by Mr Bullock
2. Jove owned by Mr Long
3. Ginger owned by Lord Orford
4. Parrot owned by Mr Henley
5. Forester owned by Honourable Colonel Townsend
In 1788 the Holt Assembly was held on Tuesday 16th September 1788, with tickets sold at the Feathers Inn for 3s 6d. The Stewards were Jacob Henry Astley and George Windham. The next day, Wednesday 17th September 1788, Holt races were staged on Holt Race Ground, beginning with a 100 Guineas Match between two capital hunters. There then followed a saddle and £5 Cup race, after which an ordinary was served at the Feathers Inn.
In 1844 Holt races were held on Wednesday 22nd May with a card comprising the Holt Stakes, a Hunters Stakes, the Yeomanry Sweepstakes and Holt Pony Sweepstakes. All entries, colours and riders names had to be registered at the Feathers Inn on the morning of race day. The inhabitants of Holt were keen to administer as much sport as possible to entertain the locally based Prince Albert's Own Corps of Yeomanry Cavalry, holding a horse and pony race day on Wednesday 22nd May 1844. At an early hour the town presented a scene of considerable activity and bustle, with numerous carriages, horses and pedestrians making their way to Holt Race Ground. A carriage, drawn by 4 horses, held members of the Band of the Corps, and wound its way through the town at 1 o'clock to signal that every shop should close to enable all inhabitants to repair to the scene of the action.
Holt Stakes over 1 1/2 miles
1. HELTER SKELTER chestnut mare owned by Mr Case
2. COCK ROBIN bay horse owned by Mr Francis
3. CRUCIFIX bay mare owned by Mr Bilham
After the first race, 150 gentlemen adjourned to a large booth on the ground to enjoy an excellent cold collation provided by Mr Johnson and Mr Leggatt. The action then continued with three further races.
Hunters Stakes over 1 1/2 miles
1. COCK ROBIN bay horse owned by Mr Francis
2. CONGRESS bay horse owned by Mr Orris
3. TIP-TOP grey mare owned by Mr Banks
Yeomanry Sweepstakes over 1 1/2 miles
1. COCK ROBIN bay horse owned by Mr Francis
2. HELTER SKELTER chestnut mare owned by Mr Case
3. RED ROBIN chestnut horse owned by Mr Hebgin
Holt Pony Sweepstake over 1 1/2 miles
1. FLARE-UP owned by Mr Withers
2. CRAZY JANE owned by Mr Boyd
3. SMUT owned by Mr Hickling
I am grateful to Jon Seddon, and to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the 1905 map shown below,
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
