Earliest meeting: August 1883
Final meeting: Monday 1st June 1963
The North Shropshire village of Woore today boasts a population of barely 1500, but until 1963 sustained a National Hunt Racecourse. The racecourse, situated some 2 miles south of the village at Pipe Gate, on farmland owned by Mr Icke but leased to Woore Racecourse Company, was well served by a railway station which first opened in 1870. However, passenger services ceased in 1956 and this presented a challenge to racegoers wishing to attend Woore Racecourse. The first recorded races under rules at Woore were in 1883, although the course proved to be unsatisfactory and was not used again. Prior to this races had been conducted annually in Woore during Wakes week in August, with a meeting on Thursday 20th August 1863 having races involving thoroughbreds, galloways, ponies and donkeys. Racing returned to Woore in 1885 at their new course at Pipe Gate and remained there for the duration of racing in the village. The course was just a mile in circumference, left handed and very sharp with horses constantly on a turn. The busiest period for Woore racecourse was between the wars. There was only a wooden Grandstand, but the meeting, despite having basic amenities, proved popular with National Hunt enthusiasts. Indeed, in 1937 the meeting was graced by the presence of King George VI when his horse, Slam, won the main race of the day. Racing continued after the War until a final meeting took place on Monday 1st June 1963.
This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below.
Thursday 1st April 1909
Dobson Foxhunters Chase over 3 miles
1. Althrey, aged horse owned by Mr Hugh Peel
2. General Winter, aged horse owned by Mr J Cross
3. Lord Schomberg, 6 year old owned by Mr Grosvenor
The very last racecard provided by a lifelong Woore Racecourse enthusiast Dave Francis.
John Moran has fond memories of his local track, Woore Racecourse. He remembers "The Private" ridden by Bobby Beasley winning on Saturday 23rd Oct. 1962. Roy Whiston trained close by and we all used to have a day out there. Although it was only small, I have been there when it was packed, no room on the old wooden grandstand. A lovely little course, lovely weather on a summers day and National Hunt racing at the "grass roots" in 1960-1961; it could never have got much better, memory never fades despite the passing of time.
The final meeting took place on Monday 1st June 1963.
A tight one mile circumference course two miles from the village at Pipe Gate. Very little evidence of a racecourse having existed, although part of the racecourse stables still exists.
See the photographic evidence shown above kindly provided by Dave Francis.
The front cover/ principal races from this rare racecard are provided courtesy of the Robert Shaw collection.
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
