Earliest meeting: Monday 8th June 1840
Final meeting: Saturday 18th April 1896
The small Cheshire residential town of Neston once had its own racecourse which held its inaugural three day meeting from Monday 8th to Wednesday 10th June 1840 when Sir W M Stanley was Steward. Racing had taken place in the vicinity of the town since May 1728 when meetings were billed as Great Neston, and races also took place as early as 1829 at neighbouring Parkgate. The town is situated close to Chester, which is much more widely known as a racing city. A second 3 day meeting in Neston took place from Monday 5th to Wednesday 7th June 1843 when the Hooton Stakes was won by Mr Grace’s Mystery, but it was a further two years before the final meeting was held on Wednesday 14th May 1845. Although this was the last meeting to be billed as Neston, the town joined forces with nearby Parkgate in the latter part of the 19th century to jointly host races administered by the Wirral Hunt Committee. These races began on Saturday 9th April 1881 on Mr J J Houghton’s estate in Parkgate, and continued until the final meeting on Saturday 18th April 1896. The Wirral Hunt Steeplechase was won by Mr T Johnson’s Sir Harry, while all 3 places in the Wirral Farmers Chase were filled by horses owned by Mr T Johnson.
Mr J J Houghton, Mr H Nicholson, Mr W Downs (Stewards)
Wirral Open Chase, Wirral Hunt Steeplechase, Wirral Hunt Members Chase
At various times the races were known as Great Neston, Neston and Parkgate. The inaugural 2-day meeting at Neston was on Monday 8th June and Tuesday 9th June 1840.
Monday 8th June 1840
Worral Stakes for 15 sovereigns over a mile
1. VIOLET (4/6 fav) owned by Mr Charles Hancock
2. WORRAL LASS (2/1) owned by Mr Stock
3. DECEPTION (3/1) owned by Mr Willoughby
Neston Sweepstake for 10 sovereigns Once round and the distance
1. VOLUSIA owned and ridden by Mr Thomas
2. LANGAR owned by Mr Tempest and ridden by Eaton
3. BAY MALTON owned by Mr Hughes and ridden by Breton
4. NESTON LASS owned by Mr Barrow and ridden by a boy
5. LANSQUNET owned by Mr James and ridden by J Hughes
6. MARIA owned by Mr J Garner and ridden by Gallimore
Wirral Open Steeplechase over 3 miles
1. Bouncer, 5 year old owned by Mr E J Thornewill
2. Surprise, 6 year old owned by Mr R P Wilson
3. Ranchero, 4 year old owned by Mr O H Jones
Betting: Evens Bouncer, 5/2 Rancherro, 4/1 Surprise
Towards the end of the time of the Neston/Great Neston/Parkgate races the meeting was billed as the Wirral Hunt Steeplechases and run at Parkgate.
Saturday 18th April 1896
Wirral Farmers Steeplechase for 40 sovereigns over 3 miles
1. BUTLEY (Evens fav) owned and ridden by Mr H J Stretch
2. GONE AWAY (2/1) owned by Mr G W Zeigler and ridden by Hermon
3. SWORDSMAN (5/2) owned by Mr J A Pell and ridden by Hardman
4. DOROTHY HAYS (10/1) owned by Mr H Wright and ridden by Nelson
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:-
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
