Earliest meeting: Tuesday 15th October 1765
Final meeting: Friday 22nd October 1880
The North Yorkshire town of Northallerton is in the Hambleton district of the county 32 miles from York. Racing first took place in the vicinity of the town when a 3 day meeting was staged on its course near Otterington from Tuesday 15th to Thursday 17th October 1765, with £50 prizes offered for each of the 3 races. Little Adam won on day one; Apollonia on day two, and Miss Peeper on the third day. These early meetings were held at Otterington on a course with a rudimentary stand to provide some comfort for racegoers. The highlight of the meetings in the late 18th century was the Members Plate which was won by Mr A Burdon’s Duchess on Friday 11th October 1782. By 1816 the racecourse had been relocated nearer to the town, in the Broomfield area, close to the present day railway station, although the railway did not arrive in Northallerton until 1841. The change of venue was reflected in the introduction of the Broomfield Stakes over 3 miles, the inaugural running being won by Mr Hartley's Kutsoff. The highlight of the card in the 19th century was the Gold Cup, which was won by Mr Haworth’s Minna on Friday 15th October 1824. However, the first Northallerton Gold Cup was run in 1822 and won by Doctor Syntax, foaled in 1811, who continued to race until he was 12, winning the Northallerton Gold Cup aged 11. He raced 49 times, winning 36 of his races. Remarkably, he won the Lancaster Gold Cup every year from 1815 to 1820 inclusive; the Preston Gold Cup every year from 1815 to 1821 inclusive; the Richmond Gold Cup every year from 1818 to 1823 inclusive, and was the inaugural winner of the Northallerton Gold Cup. Meetings continued for over 100 years before a final meeting took place on Friday 22nd October 1880.
Lord Normanby, Duke of Leeds
Thursday 10th to Friday 11th October 1782
Northallerton 4 mile Plate
1. Farewell owned by Mr Snowden
2. Nanny-O owned by Mr Hartley
3. Morpon owned by Mr Harpur
Northallerton Members Plate over 4 miles
1. Duchess owned by Mr Burdon
2. Shrimp owned by Mr Alcock
3. Petrarch owned by Mr Stapleton
At the 3-day meeting in October 1801 the Silver Cup, which had not been contested in 1800, was won by Mr G Crompton, although this was a pseudonym taken by the local parson, Rev H Goodricke (Prebendary of York) who loved horse racing, but felt that some in his flock might frown upon his horse ownership, let alone betting on his own horse. He was a lucky owner, winning the Gentleman's race the next day as well.
Thursday 15th October 1801
Maiden £50 Sweepstake over 2 miles
1. MALTA (2/1) chestnut horse owned by Mr Fletcher
2. WALNUT (evens fav) chestnut filly owned by Mr Hutton
3. LING-CROPPED bay colt owned by Mr Atkinson
4. MAJOR bay gelding owned by Mr Preston
Friday 16th October 1801
Members Silver Cup over 3 miles
1. ROSAMOND chestnut filly owned by Mr G Crompton
2. BANTAM bay horse owned by Mr Searl
3. OVERTON chestnut filly owned by Mr Kirby
4. SWIFT bay filly owned by Mr Wilson
5. LING-CROPPER bay colt owned by Mr Atkinson
6. WALNUT chestnut mare owned by Mr Hutton
7. QUIVER bay mare owned by Mr Carter
Saturday 17th October 1801
Gentleman's £50 Plate over 4 miles
1. ANNISEED bay mare owned by Mr G Crompton
2. RISBY bay mare owned by Mr Hutchinson
3. GAMENUT bay horse owned by Mr Peirse
5. HIS LORDSHIP chestnut horse owned by Mr Whaley
6. SWIFT bay filly owned by Mr Wilson
After the 1809 meeting there was a lapse until racing resumed in the town in 1818, the programme included the Broomfield Stakes. Could this have been the time when the racecourse moved from Otterington to its final location closer to town? Within 4 years the Broomfield Stakes had been joined on the card by the Northallerton Gold Cup. The first Northallerton Gold Cup was run in 1822 and won by Doctor Syntax, foaled in 1811, and continued to race until he was 12, winning the Northallerton Gold Cup aged 11. He raced 49 times, winning 36 of his races. Remarkably, he won the Lancaster Gold Cup every year from 1815 to 1820 inclusive; the Preston Gold Cup every year from 1815 to 1821 inclusive; the Richmond Gold Cup every year from 1818 to 1823 inclusive, and was the inaugural winner of the Northallerton Gold Cup.
In the 19th century Racing Calendars, Northallerton Racecourse was described as, 'A triangular-shaped course, of one-mile round, having easy turns, with a straight run in which is slightly on the rise. The Two-Year-Old course is 6 furlongs. The entire course is situated close to the town centre, with a substantial grandstand from which the whole of the running may be seen.' When the racecourse closed in 1880 the grandstand was eventually demolished to make way for the County Hall buildings which were completed in 1905.
The Broomfield Stakes, over 3 miles, was first run in 1816, and continued until 1826, although it did return for one year in 1829 when won by Mr Kent's 4-year-old Rufus.
Thursday 14th October to Saturday 16th October 1824
Broomfield Stakes over 3 miles
1. Tom Paine owned by Mr Watson
2. Pecunia owned by Mr Lambton
3. Newburgh owned by Mr Baker
Northallerton Gold Cup over 4 miles
1. Minna owned by Mr Haworth
2. Carnival owned by Mr Lambton
3. Lottery owned by Mr Whittaker
Northallerton Members Plate over 3 miles
1. Minna owned by Mr Haworth
2. Primrose owned by Mr Humble
3. Unnamed filly by Milo owned by Mr Linskill
The Northallerton Gold Cup, over 2 miles, was introduced in 1822 when famously won by Dr Syntax. Such was the superiority of the aged gelding that he won at 1/10 favourite, although 1/20 was taken in running. The Gold Cup continued until 1849, after which the whole racecard was overhauled and took on a more modern look, with Plates, selling races and Handicaps.
After the success of the Gold Cup, the Northallerton Stewards decided to offer a Silver Cup, (reincarnated from an 18th century trophy) from 1826 until 1849, although no Silver Cup was not contested in 1842. By far the most famous winner was the 3 year old filly Alice Hawthorn in 1841. She went on to win the Northallerton Gold Cup for the next two years, but more importantly won 52 of her 72 races, including the Doncaster Cup in 1843 and 1844.
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.
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1835 Meeting
At the three day meeting held between Thursday 8th October and Saturday 10th October 1835 the highlights were the Gold Cup and Stewards Silver Cup. The chief Stewards at the meeting were the Duke of Leeds and the Honourable Colonel Arden, a philanthropic man who carried out charitable acts around Stockton, Northallerton and Hartlepool. On the second day of the meeting the Silver Cup (50 sovereigns and a silver cup) was contested over 2-mile heats and won, after 3 heats, by the Duke of Leeds's Longinus carrying his racing colours of chocolate with black cap. In the first heat Longinus beat Durham by a head, while in the second heat there was a dead-heat between Longinus and Durham, so a third, deciding heat was required and won by Longinus.
Friday 9th October 1835
Northallerton Silver Cup (50 sovereigns) over 2-mile heats
(a sweepstake of 5 sovereigns each, with 20 added)
1. LONGINUS, 3-year-old bay colt by Longwaist out of Young Duchess 7st owned by the Duke of Leeds and ridden by Cartwright 1 1= 1
2. DURHAM, 3 year old bay colt by Lottery 7st owned by Mr Field 2 1= 2
3. MORPETH, 4 year old bay colt by Actaeon 8st 3lbs owned by Mr Dawson 0 3 3
4. UNNAMED brother to Chorister, 3 year old bay colt 8st 3lbs owned by Mr Smith 0 4 wdr
5. WINKLEY, 3 year old bay colt by Velocipede 7st owned by Mr Wilson 0 wdr
6. OPODELDOC, 4 year old brown colt 8st 3lbs owned by Mr Hutchinson 0 wdr
The incredibly rare trophy shown above was auctioned at Cheffins on 15th April 2021 and was sold for £6470.
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
