A pivotal moment in horse racing history, and in the history of Newmarket, occurred in 1665 when, on 16th October 1665, King Charles II issued an Article for a race, the Newmarket Town Plate, for horses carrying 12 stone over the Newmarket Round Course on the second Thursday in October each year. Although there was no Jockey Club at this stage, this is one of the first sets of rules governing a race in Newmarket. It is clear that, at this point in time, there is a Clerk of the Course, a Clerk of the Race, a Treasurer, many Judges, one of whom is responsible for checking the weights of riders.
Thursday 12th October 1826 (161st renewal)
Town Plate for horses carrying 12st
Quarter-Day (4/7 fav), 6 year old bay gelding owned by Mr Pettit and ridden by Mr Parkinson 1 1
Michaelmas (5/4), 4 year old bay mare owned by Mr Butler and ridden by James Weatherby 2 2
In the crowd were Captain Meynell, B Eaton, Mr Theed, J Bland, G Sharp and numerous other sporting gentlemen.
Thursday 11th October 1827 (162nd renewal)
Town Plate for horses carrying 12st
Syson, chestnut gelding owned by Captain Watson walked over
Thursday 8th October 1829 (164th renewal)
Blemish, bay horse owned by Mr George Edwards and ridden by William Fenton (aka Captain Andrews)
Thursday 14th October 1830 (165th renewal)
Town Plate for horses carrying 12st
Flacrow owned and ridden by Mr Chifney
talman owned by Mr George Edwards
Thursday 11th October 1832 (167th renewal)
Town Plate for horses carrying 12st (each carried 2lbs overweight)
Elizabeth (2/7 fav), 5-y-o bay mare owned by Mr F C Bloss and ridden by J Leach
Whiskey, 4-y-o bay horse owned by Mr Prince and ridden by Mr Weatherby junior
The favourite won by a neck
Thursday 13th October 1836 (171st renewal)
Town Plate for horses carrying 12st
Protempore, aged horse owned by Mr Howard and ridden by Mr Fenton 1 1
Jack Rag, 4-y-o owned by Mr Turner 2 2
Clown, aged horse owned by Mr J Perrin 3 broke down
Won by half a mile
Thursday 12th October 1837 (172nd renewal)
Town Plate over Round Course
Turban walked over
Thursday 11th October 1838 (173rd renewal)
Town plate for horses carrying 12st
Patapan, bay horse owned by Mr Cassidy walked over to win £6 1s 6d
Thursday 10th October 1839 (174th renewal)
Town Plate for horses carrying 12st
Unnamed bay mare owned by Mr S Rogers and ridden by C Boyce walked over
Thursday 8th October 1840 (175th renewal)
Town Plate for horses carrying 12st
Velocipede gelding owned by Mr S Rogers and ridden by C Boyce walked over
Tuesday 14th October 1841 (176th renewal)
Town Plate for horses carrying 12st
Quicksilver owned by Mr S Rogers and ridden by C Boyce walked over
Thursday 12th October 1843 (178th renewal)
Town Plate over the round course
Capote owned by Mr S Rogers and ridden by C Boyce
Thursday 10th October 1844 (179th running)
Thursday 10th October 1844 (179th renewal)
Muleteer (4/6 fav) owned by Mr Ridisdale and ridden by C Boyce 1 2 1
Drawing Rein (5/4) owned by Mr R Boyce and ridden by Mr H Thorns 2 1 wdr
This was an amazing race before, during and after the race, because 6 had been entered but, in the end, only 2 took part. Drawing Rein was due to be ridden by Sam Howlett who, on coming to the scale, could only make 11st and required weights to be added to his saddle cloth but insufficient weights could be found. As a consequence Howlett was replaced by Mr H Thorns and caused support for Muleteer to harden from evens to 4/6 fav. The first heat started at exactly 1pm and saw Muleteer prevail by a head. In the second heat Drawing Rein made the pace and went clear, but in passing the gateway to Marson's ploughed gallop the horse drifted off course giving a chance to Muleteer. Thorns just managed to get his horse back on track and he readily won the heat by 20 lengths and could so easily have distanced Muleteer which would have ended the contest and given him the Town Plate. Drawing Rein sprained a sinew as he passed the winning chair and was withdrawn by owner R Boyce meaning Muleteer just had to walk over in the third heat.
Thursday 8th October 1846 (181st renewal)
Hawkesbury (1/2 fav), bay horse owned by Mr Stephenson and ridden by Mr J Arber 1 1
Gipsy Boy (late Little Vivian) bay gelding owned by Mr J Drake and ridden by Mr R Jeffery 2 2
Protection, bay horse owned and ridden by Mr Sabine 3 dist
Won the first heat by a length and the second heat by 3 lengths
Thursday 14th October 1847 (182nd renewal)
Town Plate over the Round Course
Prosody owned by Mr S Rogers and ridden by Stanlake Batson walked over
Thursday 11th October 1849 (184th renewal)
Town Plate with horses carrying 12st 2lbs
Dover owned by Mr Daley 1 1
Prosody owned by Mr S Rogers 2 2
Bernadotte owned by Mr Wilson 3 3
Dover won the first heat by a length and the second in a canter. A comical situation occurred in this year's Town Plate; the first heat is traditionally run on the Round Course; the second heat in the reverse direction of the Round Course so that the horses do not have to make their way down to the original start, and if a third heat is required it is run over the Beacon Course. After the first heat the 3 runners were given 30 minutes to be rubbed down before they were sent off in the opposite direction for heat 2, but unbeknown to the riders a Match race, on the same card, had already started so that at one stage the 5 runners met, 3 in one direction and 2 in the other, 2 races taking place at the same time.
Friday 11th October 1850 (185th running)
Friday 11th October 1850 (185th renewal)
Town Plate over the Round Course
Goodwood owned by Mr Daley and ridden by Mr J Arber 1 1
Hope 2 2