Earliest meeting: Monday 30th March 1840
Final meeting: Friday 26th October 1883
Northleach, in the valley of the River Leach, is a market town in Gloucestershire about 10 miles north east of Cirencester. The earliest record of racing in the village was on Monday 30th March 1840 when the Northleach Sweepstakes was won by Mr Vever’s Cruikshank. However, the highlight of that meeting was the Cotswold Handicap which attracted a massive field of 22 and was won by Mr Fisher’s Perfection. Meetings continued annually, and on Friday 31st March 1843 the races were organised by Mr Isaac Day, attracting large fields, including 23 for the Cotswold Handicap Sweepstake over 4 miles of good hunting country. It resulted in a win for Mr E Herbert’s Tommy over Charles The Twelfth and Fanny. Meetings continued to be popular until a final card took place on Friday 26th October 1883. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Sir Charles Cockerell, Honourable James Dutton, Mr Fisher, Mr Vevers |
| Principal Races |
Cotswold Handicap, Northleach Sweepstakes |
Monday 30th March 1840 |
The Cotswold Handicap
1. Perfection owned by Mr Fisher
2. Dauntless owned by Mr Bryan
3. Clearwell owned by Mr P Lewis
An amazing field of 22 started and the winner was ridden by Powell and won by 2 lengths.
Northleach Sweepstakes
1. Cruikshank owned by Mr Vevers
2. Telegraph owned by Mr Heward |
| The final meeting took place on Friday 26th October 1883 |
| Course today |
Across good hunting ground on fields owned by Mr Isaac Day. |
| If you have photos, postcards, racecards. badges, newspaper cuttings or book references about the old course, or can provide a photo of how the ground on which the old racecourse stood looks today, then email johnwslusar@gmail.com |
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 |
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ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3
652 pages
774 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0
352 pages
400 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7
180 pages
140 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4
264 pages
235 former courses |
| Copies of the above books are only available by emailing johnwslusar@gmail.com stating your requirements, method of payment (cheque payable to W.Slusar) or Bank transfer, and the address where the book(s) should be sent. |
| ORDER FORM |
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| Volume 1 North of Hatfield £19.99 + £4 postage |
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| Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volumes 1 - 4 £54.96 + £5 postage |
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