Earliest meeting: Thursday 18th February 1847
Final meeting: Thursday 15th February 1849
The Old Roan is a famous Inn in the Aintree district of Liverpool, about 7 miles north east of Liverpool and the Merseyrail network. Just as Aintree is the most famous racecourse in the country, so Old Roan held its own races, but on a less grand scale, starting on Thursday 18th February 1847. The meeting, held on a 4 mile line of country beginning at the Old Roan Inn, was attended by numerous coaches, cabs, drags and at least 300 horsemen. The opening Handicap Sweepstake over 4 miles was won by Mr Fowler’s Beggarman who beat Jupiter. A Match followed in which Mr Salomon’s Perfection defeated Mr Hamilton’s The Artist with ease. The main race of the day, the Old Roan Sweepstakes, went to Yellow Dwarf for Mr Tempess. Further meetings followed until a final card was staged on Thursday 15th February 1849.

Old Roan Sweepstake, Old Roan Handicap Steeplechase

Thursday 18th February 1847
Old Roan Handicap Steeplechase over 4 miles
1. Yellow Dwarf, aged horse owned by Mr Tempess
2. Sunbeam, aged horse owned by Mr Bradley
3. Kate Kearney, aged horse owned by Mr Humphries
4. The Whisperer, aged horse owned by Mr Heyes

The only recorded meeting took place on Thursday 15th February 1849.

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

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