Racing is known to have taken place at York, just outside Micklegate Bar.

Racing, by now, is taking place at Acomb Moor, and Charles I attended with his acquaintance Sir Henry Slingsby.

Racing is known to have continued at Clifton and Rawcliffe Ings throughout this period. On the 13th September 1709 a Gold Cup was competed for over 4 miles in heats. Mr Metcalfe's WART won 2 of the 3 heats and was third in the final heat when defeated by Mr Hebblethwaites STOUT. Throughout this period, and certainly towards the latter end of it, there was concern that flooding from the Ouse jeopardised the meeting. The final straw came when the 1730 meeting due to be held on a Wednesday had to be held over to the Saturday due to flooding. After this the meeting became doomed and plans for the Knavesmire were born.

Queen Anne wins a race at York with Star.

Racing takes place on the Knavesmire for the first time on 11th August and lasts for 6 days.

The success of Smallhopes in the King's Plate was overshadowed by the hanging of Dick Turpin on 20th August. This year also marked the final 'Galloway' race held at York. These were races in which weight was allocated according to the size of the horse; 13 hands carried 7 st, 14 hands carried 9 st and a 15 hand horse carried 11 st.

A remarkable occurrence, for the times, when the main 2 races were won by lady owners with His Majesty's 100 guineas race being won by Betty Routh's Othello, while her sister Dolly won the Ladies Plate with Crazy.

The grandstand is opened at the Summer meeting. It was the brainchild of Lord Rockingham, who organised the sale of 250 £5 shares which entitled holders to a free entry badge for the next 100 years.

The famous Gimcrack Club is founded, named after the grey who won 26 races but never managed a victory at York. The first of his 2 visits to York was in the Great Subscription Plate on 25th August 1768 where he finished 8th when beaten by Lord Rockingham's PILGRIM. He returned a year later to compete in the same race on 24th August 1769. He was made the 5/4 favourite but could only manage third behind CHATSWORTH and TORTOISE. The Club initially met at The Punch Bowl and later at Harker's Hotel before switching to The Station Hotel.

The great Eclipse wins 2 races at York and, for the first time, a 3 year old race was included in the programme.

Royal visitors to York when The Prince of Wales and The Duke of York attend. A race is named after the latter.

The Great Yorkshire Stakes is run for the first time.

York suffers a decline in popularity when only 8 horses are entered for the meeting on 16th May. The decline started when public hangings were no longer part of the racing programme. The racecourse was in danger of being overtaken as the main Northern meeting by Doncaster which could boast The St Leger. York needed to restructure its meeting to include memorable, high class races.

The Ebor, then known as The Great Ebor, was run for the first time and was won by Pagan. See 1884 badge for full records of Great Ebor Winners.

The Gimcrack Stakes is run for the first time, but it is over 100 years later before the winning owner is invited to make a speech at the Gimcrack dinner. The first winner was Ellerdale, ridden by Tommy Lye and trained by Tom Dawson. See 1884 badge for full record of Gimcrack Stakes Winners.

Probably the most famous match of all time took place on 13th May, witnessed by a crowd in excess of 100,000. Voltigeur had won the Derby and St Leger in 1850. The Flying Dutchman had won the Derby and St Leger in 1849. The two had met in the Doncaster Cup and Voltigeur had prevailed. Voltigeur carried 8st, while The Flying Dutchman carried 8st 8 1/2 lbs and it was sweet revenge for The Flying Dutchman, winning by a length.

Blink Bonny wins the Gimcrack before sge goes on to gain the Oaks and Derby one year later.

A famous, and important time in York and racings history, with the Clerk of the Course being threatened with a fine for every minute a race goes off late.

Earliest evidence of jump racing taking place on the Knavesmire in April.

The Gimcrack Stakes becomes a 6 furlong race.

James Melrose becomes Chairman of the Tork Race Committee and the Melrose Stakes marks the contribution he made to the development of York as a centre of racing excellence.

The County Stand is erected and William Rudston Read becomes the first Chairman of the County Stand Committee.

The final flat race fixture which included a race for hunters took place in April.

The last recorded evidence of National Hunt racing taking place at York.

Despite National Hunt meetings ceasing in 1885 there were still jumps meetings at York recorded in the National Hunt racing calendar, although these were organised by the cavalry.

A troubled period for the racecourse because the lease to the York Race Committee had expired and the York Corporation were insisting on vastly increased rates. There was even a suggestion that the Knavesmire be abandoned and a further site for racing explored. Even Clifton Ings was suggested given that the problem of transportation had more or less improved. The April 1903 meeting was in jeopardy of not taking place because the tenancy expired on 6th April. In the end, after employing considerable negotiating skills, the secretary of the committee John Teasdale managed to agree an extension of 35 years with the York Corporation and the Freemen in the Stray.

1910

The Great Ebor is renamed The Ebor and is won by Major Edwards CLARETOI. (See 1884 badge for full winners of all Ebors)

Racing ceases because of the War and the racecourse and its stands are occupied by the military from 8th August 1914 until 7th March 1918.

Racing resumes on 26th May 1919 with James Melrose acting as one of the stewards.

1925

Gordon Richards rides his first Ebor winner on Chapeau.

The general strike caused the Spring Meeting to be cancelled.

The Worthy of note in the History of the Racecourse is the death of James Melrose on 4th February. He had contributed so much and died at the ripe old age of 101.

The Tote is used for the first time at York.

1934

Bahram wins the Gimcrack and goes on to gain the Triple Crown a year later.

1939-45

Racing ceases and York is used as a prisoner of war camp.

1934

Bahram wins the Gimcrack and goes on to gain the Triple Crown a year later.

1939-45

Racing ceases and York is used as a prisoner of war camp.Much of the ground is used to grow potato, corn and sugar beet and this meant that the resumption of racing might be in jeopardy after the end of the war.

Racing resumes on 4th September and Chamossaire wins the substitute St Leger on 5th September, Dante having been scratched. The winner is trained by R Perryman and ridden by T Lowery. Owned by Squadron Leader S Joel it defeats 9 other rivals.

The Great Voltigeur is run for the first time, commemorating the great horse, although it never won a race at York.

The new stands, designed by the same architect who designed Newbury grandstand, are opened by Lord Halifax.

Queen Elizabeth II graces York with her presence on 15th August and witnesses the defeat of Brigadier Gerard by Roberto.

Sea Pigeon, much loved by the Yorkshire crown, wins the Ebor in the hands of Jonjo O'Neill, prevailing by only a short head from Donegal Prince.