Stockton Racecourse

Description

Stockton Racecourse was situated on the banks of the River Tees. The first meeting took place in September 1855 and the last meeting took place in June 1981. The views of the racecourse show the old and the new stands, the turnstile block and the bar. The stands remain, although they are part of a Leisure Centre that was built on the site of the racecourse.

Library Reference

Dewey Decimal: 999 Reference: t3240-3254 - link available

Comments

Visitors can add their comments to any image on the site. Maybe you've got a story to share, maybe you can add some extra detail to the image? Click the button to leave your comments.

Add a comment | Ascending | Descending order

Posted comments/stories

julian herbert

These pictures are of the last - at least the third - Stockton Race Course and became the site of the Teesside Park Shopping Centre. The original course was on the south bank of the Tees where the Teesdale site has been developed and the second was a bit out of Stockton at Bishopton.

Posted on: 04/11/2005 14:38:25

Rosemary Brough

Does anyone know whether records from the 1800s still exist of the racecourse? We are tracing the Brough family tree. John Brough was reputedly part of a group of people that owned and operated the racecouse in the mid/late 1800s. R Brough

Posted on: 12/09/2006 08:46:54

Brian John Chunn

I remember leading up at Stockton on a few occasions in the late 70"s,the most memorable day being when i was apprentice to Duncan Sasse,we had 2 runners,my horse Lindberg and subsequent 2000 guineas winner Roland Gardens."Roland" ran in the Roseberry stakes a conditions race,we knew he was not 100% fit but still expected him to win,he finished 3rd to a good horse of Peter Walwyns called Camden Town,me,Duncan and Ian(Beatle)Townley were devastated but Frankie Durr who rode him just asked "why the long faces,he will win the guineas" and so he did.I remember we slept in an old tote building just rows of beds and no privacy at all,as was the norm in those days.I must add that i believe the course was/is a sad loss a good galloping fair track.

Posted on: 28/08/2007 08:01:06

Steve Harland

I only ever went once to Teesside Park (Stockton)for horse racing about 1976. t never seemed to draw any decent crowds, people preferring day trips out to more picturesque locations at Redcar, Ripon or Thirsk. I could never see the attraction of flat racing myself much preferring the National Hunt version. Occasionally it used to be featured on ITVs 'World of Sport' but that was as good as it got. I didn't know anything about the sport but remember picking a horse called 'Ponmaysoul' in the selling handicap hurdle and the bugger won at 33-1. It was apparently the only race the horse ever won! Seeing the photographs brings back memories of going down 'the wilderness road' AKA 'Stockton Road' on the way to Cleveland Park in Middlesbrough for speedway racing - a much more satisfying alternative.

Posted on: 22/11/2008 12:44:45

Ken Howells

I led up at Stockton a few times too Brian, a bit earlier though fifties and sixties - Frankie Durr rode a few winners for us(Bill Duttons stable)Frankie could have made it as a pro fighter he was really good. I had my first ride in public there (The Mandale Apprentice Stakes - oddly enough I had my last ride there also in the Acklam Plate - I say oddly enough because I have finished up living in Mandale Rd -Acklam a memento of those two rides. Stockton used to attract really good horses then from all over the country because it was before artificial watering and the going rarely got too firm. Many a classic winner was prepared there.

Posted on: 21/12/2008 11:43:20