With thanks to Allan Jones for the scans of the rare Rothbury workers cards.

He fondly remembers that 'workers cards' were issued to him, and others like him, who made tractors available to pull the horseboxes from the course, given that there was no hard standing area, and the Tote Wagon which, at that time, was owned by British Rail. The tote wagon had to be taken to Morpeth Station for the 6 o'clock train.

A further 'workers' job was to tow the Brewery Wagon and any big cars which might have become bogged down.

Allan also provided the detailed map shown below of a course he rembers so well.

I am also indebted to Albert Whiting who has provided fond, and very personal memories of a meeting he loved and misses very much.

My memories of Rothbury Racecourse go back to the early 1950's - and what a day it was each year, if it survived flooding!. The scene was unchanged for a century!  Horses walking through the village, Kit Tully from The Railway Hotel struggling to get his equipment, bottles, kegs etc. into the bar tent on the course - the going was never better than heavy many times - and everyone keeping a weather eye out to assess the chances of the River Coquet overflowing its banks, resulting in the meeting having to be abandoned. Parking one's car was a major achievement in itself.  Straight up a hill at 45 degrees on a slippery turf - and even more excitement coming out!!!

 After a hearty lunch at the County Hotel (and what a lovely view of the course from the dining room windows!) and a gentle stroll over the footbridge across the river, you could be on the course in two minutes flat. Then the excitement started.   People came from far and near to experience the unique atmosphere of the course.   (The only slightly comparable experience now is at Cartmel Racecourse.)

 The Rothbury Cup was the big race and, towards the end of its life, Rothbury Racecourse staged a three horse race over 3 miles in which The Callant, a striking grey, frightened everyone off.  The Callant was well-known from many top grade racecourses in the country - having featured in several epic finishes in big races - and was owned by four local sporting men.

 A feature of the steeplechases at Rothbury was the dramatic downhill section with a sharp left turn at the bottom into the straight which was parallel to the river.  If the horse didn't quite make it the jockey needed to be a reasonably good swimmer!!  (That turn was wonderfully described by "gentleman" Gerry Scott being interviewed in the Sporting Life - shortly before that newspaper folded - as his least favourite racecourse because of !!!).

 Anyway, The Callant took the turn without problem well in the lead and proceeded to fall at the first fence in the straight.   By the time the jockey caught the horse the other two runners were a couple of fences clear - but, undeterred, The Callant set off in pursuit.  He was about two furlong behind with less than a circuit to go but was slowly but surely closing with each stride.  Up the steep hill away from the winning post, through the fields on the far side of the course and down the steep hill leading to the treacherous turn into the straight The Callant was eating into the other two runners' lead and everyone held their breath as he came to the first fence in the straight where he had fallen first time around.  Over he flew now only 20 lengths behind and the cheers could be heard down the entire length of the Coquet Valley. But, sadly, the run-in on the chase course at Rothbury was very short and the other two runners just managed to hang on.

 Several years later, the four owners of The Callant died in a short period of time and each had one of The Callant's mounted hooves buried with him.

 On the very last day of racing I managed to find two winners - one trained by Dick Curran for Kirby Overblow and the other Mar Letoh (Ram Hotel backwards).

 Now it is almost impossible to see where the racecourse was - like the railway station too, long gone.  All that motorists see now when driving from Rothbury to Thropton is the golf course.

 Gone, but never forgotten!

FIRST MEETING

Earliest recorded in April 1759

SITUATED

In Northumberland, on the banks of the River Coquet, approximately 10 miles from Morpeth.

DISTANCES

2 miles to 3 miles.

PRINCIPAL RACE

Rothbury Cup over 3 miles (later moved to Newcastle)

WORLD WAR I

No racing between 1915 and 1919.

WORLD WAR II

No racing until 1946.

FACT

Rothbury held only one meeting a year, always in April, although this was not held until 31st May in 1947 because the course was flooded at the normal time.

QUESTION

What was special about Rothbury races in 1948?

CURRENT SITUATION

No evidence of a racecourse having existed and is now a golf course, with some of the racecourse buildings being taken over by the Golf Course.

LAST MEETING

10^th April 1965

If you have :-

a favourite memory of this racecourse;

photos or a postcard of the course;

a members badge from the course, either to sell or as a scan;