Earliest meeting: Saturday 15th October 1678
Final meeting: Thursday 14th March 1895
The Staffordshire city of Lichfield has a Cathedral with 3 spires which dates back to 700AD, and a former racecourse which first staged races on Saturday 15th October 1678. It is likely that races were held annually from this point, although they did not take place in 1685 because of a rebellion. The next year a Subscribers Plate and the Lichfield City Plate were contested at a two-day meeting held on Tuesday 27th and Friday 30th August 1686. These early meetings were probably staged on Fradley Common, but by 1702 the meetings had moved to Whittington Heath, south west of the city. The course was a large oval course of 2 miles in circumference, with a separate sprint course for 5 furlong races. The course was mainly flat and also hosted the Anson Hunt meetings. Racing was popular with nobility, meetings well attended, and racing continued until the final meeting on Thursday 14th March 1895.
Lord Essex, Lord Portmore, Lord Milford, Sir W Vavasour, Lord Anson, Sir G Pigot, Colonel Yates, Sir T Stanley, Lord Rancliffe, Sir M Featherstone
Baily’s Racing Register provided detailed results from races held at Lichfield in 1727. The meeting was held on the 20th September and the result is shown below.
Saturday 20th September 1727
Lichfield 50 Guineas Plate
1. Smiling Ball owned by Lord Essex
2. Carlisle Gelding owned by Mr Bainbrigge
Baily’s Racing Register records a meeting taking place in September 1734 with race details shown below.
Friday 10th to Sunday 12th September 1734
Lichfield 20 Guineas Prize
1. Lady Legs owned by Mr Try
The Chestnut mare beat a field of 6 others, although no further details were provided.
Lichfield 40 Guineas Prize
1. Quiet Cuddy owned by Mr Peirse
2. Dunkirk owned by Lord Portmore
Tuesday 7th September 1762
Lichfield Kings 100 Guineas run over 2 miles
Henricus owned by Sir M Featherstone
Julius Caesar owned by Mr Smith
Unnamed horse owned by Mr Chaplin
Tuesday 10th to Thursday 12th September 1782
Lichfield His Majesty’s Purse over 3 miles
1. Tetrarch owned by Mr Laurell
2. Obscurity owned by Lord Milford
3. Cora owned by Sir W Vavasour
Lichfield September 1804 A £50 race for 3 and 4 year olds.
The race stretched over 5 Two mile heats before Sir Ullie M’Killigut, owned by Mr Clifton, was declared the winner, being the first to win two heats:-
Sir Ullie M’Killigut owned by Mr Clifton 4 4 1 0 1
Laura owned by Mr Coventry 0 1 3 0 2
Mary owned by Mr Kellerman 3 3 4 2
Optician owned by Mr Brooke’s 0 2 2
Staffordshire Stakes over a mile
1. Fille de Joie owned by Mr Yates
2. Miss Robson owned by Sir G Pigot
3. Cheshire Lass owned by Lord Anson
Lichfield Gold Cup over 3 miles
1. Euphrates owned by Mr Mytton
2. Active owned by Sir G Pigot
Lichfield City Plate over 2 miles
1. Belmont owned by Mr Peach
2. Filho da Puta owned by Mr Gisborne
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.
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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:-
Northern Turf History Volumes 1-4 by J.Fairfax-Blakeborough
A Long Time Gone by Chris Pitt first published in 1996 ISBN 0 900599 89 8
Racing Calendars which were first published in 1727
