Earliest meeting: 1512
Earliest detailed meeting: Tuesday 17th September 1669
Final meeting: Friday 7th August 1891
Although the first detailed record of racing taking place in the Yorkshire town of Richmond was in 1669, racing is known to have been staged in 1512 in the vicinity of Richmond, on Gatherley Moor, about 5 miles east of Richmond. The early meetings were so popular, and legendary, that songs were written about them; the words of one song are given below. In 1576 meetings of the local Corporation were recorded in 'The Corporation Coucher' when it was noted that the Alderman had in his possession a silver cup awarded to the winner of a horse race, when the norm in those days was to award silver bells.  The two-day meeting was held on Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th September 1669 when the Richmond £50 Plate and £20 Plate were contested. The meeting was extended to a five day affair the next year with similar Plates being contested from Monday 15th to Friday 19th September 1670. The London Gazette advertised the meeting in conjunction with a fair which took place on 13th September 1670. On 17th September 1670 the Plate of 50 Pounds was contested by the 'best horses', while on 19th September another Plate of above 20 Pounds was open to ‘lower prized horses.’ Baily's Racing Register started providing detailed results from races held at Richmond in 1725 when they hosted His Majesty's 100 Guineas (called the Hambleton 100 Guineas). It was won by Bald Peg, a son of Lister Turk, owned by Mr M Tims. The course was an oval course of a mile and a half in circumference, with a straight run in of 5 furlongs. The whole course was visible from a 'substantial' stone built grandstand. Many prominent racing stalwarts attended the races over more than two centuries, and once the Richmond Cup was introduced it was a highly sought after prize. On Tuesday 14th September 1762 the Cup was claimed by the Duke of Cleveland with Dainty Davey. At the September 1782 meeting the Town Purse was won by Sir R Winn's Miracle, but what was a miracle was that it was allowed to start at 6/1 the next day when prevailing in the Richmond Cup. Meetings continued to be popular for a further century until the final two day meeting ran from Thursday 6th to Friday 7th August 1891 when the Sapling Stakes was won by Lord Hastings' Circlet, the Handicap Plate by Mr T Lindsay's Stalactite and the 5 furlong Wright Stakes by Lord Zetland's Sea-View.

Duke of Richmond (Lennox), Earl of Zetland, Duke of Leeds, Lord Sligo, Colonel Cradock, Sir R Winn, Colonel Radcliffe, Duke of Cleveland, Lord Rockingham, Captain Kirkpatrick, Colonel Thornton

In the early years of the 17th century Richmond was one of the most important, most celebrated racecourses in the country based, at that time, on Gatherley Moor. It was so well known in the north that a curious ballad was written about it.
You heard how Gatherly race was run,
What horses lost, what horses won,
And all things else that there was done,
That day.

Now for a new race I shall tell,
Was neither run for bowl or bell,
But for a great wager, as it befell,
Men say.

Three gentlemen of good report,
This race did make, to make some sport;
To which great company did resort,
With speed.

To start them then they did require,
A gallant youth, a brave esquire,
Who yielded soon to their desire,
Indeed.

They started were, as I heard tell,
With, now St George! God speed you well!
Let every man look to himself,
For me.

From Severn-Hill to Popleton ash,
These horses run with spur and lash,
Through mire and sand, and dirt, dish, dash,
All three.

Bay Corbet first the start he got
A horse well known, all firey hot;
But he fell soon his fire had shot,
What thou'?

For he was out of graith so sore,
He could not run as here-tofore,
Nor ne'er will run so any more,
I throw.

Grey Ellerton then got the lead,
A gallant beast, of mickle speed;
For he did win the race indeed;
Even so.

Grey Appleton the hindmost came,
And yet the horse was not to blame,
The rider needs must have the shame,
For that.

For tho' he chanced to come behind,
Yet did he run his rider blind;
He was a horseman of the right kind,
That's flat.

For when the race was past and done,
He knew not who had lost or won;
For he saw neither moon nor sun
As then.

And thus the race is at an end,
And so farewell to foe and friend;
God send us joy unto our end,
Amen

The municipal records indicate a race meeting was held on 'Rychmond Moore' over 2 miles (iii myles) on 6th May 1622 when 6 horses contested the race for a cup, valued at £12, given by the Alderman, James Raine, Mr John Metcalfe and fellow gentlemen and goodfellows The race was started by John Wagget and the result was:-
1. Unnamed horse owned by Sir George Bowes, with Humphrey Wyvell as his tryer
2. Unnamed horse owned by Mr Thomas Bowes, with Christopher Bowes as his tryer
3. Unnamed horse owned by Mr Francis Broughe, with Matthew Rymer as his tryer
4. Unnamed mare owned by Mr Wanseforde, with Anthony Franckland as his tryer
5. Unnamed horse owned by Mr Loftus, with Francis Wickliffe as his tryer
6. Unnamed horse owned by Gylbert Wharton, with Thomas Wharton as his tryer
Every party donated 11 shillings to fund which raised £12 for a new cup to be run the following year, while a gilded cup, value £12, had already been purchased for a race later in the year at an unspecified time.

The inaugural running of the Gold Cup, worth £70 at the time (equivalent to £13,400 in 2018), was on Monday 10th September 1759 when a field of 7 faced the starter. Aged horses were set to carry 9st, while others were allocated 8st 7lbs. The full result is shown below:-
1. DAINTY DAVY, aged bay horse by Traveller owned by Duke of Cleveland, ridden by Thomas Jackson
2. CHARMER, 6 year old bay horse by Cade owned by Mr Wentworth, ridden by Charles Dawson
3. BRISK, 5 year old grey horse by Young Cade owned by Mr Buston
4. BRUTUS, aged bay horse by Norris Bolton owned by Mr Turner
5. OSMAR, aged bay horse by Snip owned by Lord Byron
6. YOUNG SEDBURY, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Weighill
7. MATILDA, 6 year old bay mare by Cade owned by Mr Fenwick
5/4 Dainty Davy, 4/1 Brutus, 7/1 Charmer
The Richmond Gold Cup was a two-handled cup and cover, silver gilt round the foot was a band of guilloche ornament with rosettes; the stem was enriched with a goats head, the bowl repousse with shell pattern, infant bacchanals, lion-masks, grapes and flowers, the handles ornamented with goats heads and scrolls, the cover with infant bacchanals and groups of fruit in alternate compartments and also surmounted by a group of fruit.

1760 Richmond Gold Cup won by Dainty Davy, bay horse by Traveller owned by Duke of Cleveland
The Richmond Gold Cup was a two-handled silver gilt cup and cover, round the base was a snail, an elf and a bunch of grapes, in repousse, within compartments; the bowl also repousse with scrolls and vines; on one side a horse and on the other a mare and foal. The handles formed of foxes and scrolls, the cover repousse with infant bacchanals, horses and grapes in compartments, and surmounted by a bunch of grapes. Inscribed with Richmond 1760, J Shuttleworth and C Turner, Stewards.

1761 Richmond Gold Cup won by Dainty Davy, bay horse by Traveller owned by Duke of Cleveland
1762 Richmond Gold Cup won by Dainty Davy, bay horse by Traveller owned by Duke of Cleveland
1763 Richmond Gold Cup won by Dainty Davy, bay horse by Traveller owned by Duke of Cleveland
1764 Richmond Gold Cup won by Silvio, brown horse by Cade owned by Mr Hutton
1765 Richmond Gold Cup won by Le Sang, bay horse by Changeling owned by Mr Fenwick
1766 Richmond Gold Cup won by Unnamed brown filly by Snap owned by Lord Rockingham
1767 Richmond Gold Cup won by Chatsworth, chestnut horse by Blank owned by Mr Wentworth

Tuesday 14th to Thursday 16th September 1762

Richmond Cup over 2 miles
1. Dainty Davey owned by the Duke of Cleveland
2. Silvio owned by Mr Hutton
3. Syren owned by Mr Dalston

I am grateful to John Cooper for the excellent photos of how Richmond Racecourse looked in July 2020

On the site of the old racecourse is a board showing the layout and history of the course which has been captured in the excellent photo taken by John Cooper.

1814 Richmond Gold Cup won by XYZ, bay horse by Haphazard owned by Mr Riddell
1815 Richmond Gold Cup won by Filo da Puta, bay colt by Haphazard owned by Mr Houldsworth
1816 Richmond Gold Cup won by Leopold, chestnut colt by Camillus owned by Mr Lambert
1817 Richmond Gold Cup won by The Duchess, bay filly by Cardinal York owned by Sir B R Graham
1818 Richmond Gold Cup won by Doctor Syntax, black horse by Selim owned by Mr Riddell
1819 Richmond Gold Cup won by Otho, bay colt by Sir Paul owned by Mr Garforth

Tuesday 3rd to Thursday 5th September 1782

Richmond Town Purse over 4 miles
1. Miracle owned by Sir R Winn
2. Contractor owned by Mr Addison
Contractor was the beaten 4 to 1 on favourite.

Richmond Cup over 4 miles
1. Miracle owned by Sir R Winn
2. Johnny Lad owned by Colonel Radcliffe
3. Amazon owned by Mr Wetherell
Miracle was the 6/1 third favourite despite winning the previous days feature race.

Tuesday 5th October to Thursday 7th October 1824

Richmond 20 Guineas Sweepstake over a mile
1. Canteen owned by Lord Sligo
2. Mountaineer owned by Mr Fergusson
3. Unnamed colt by Blacklock owned by Colonel Cradock

Richmond Members Plate over 2 miles
1. Rhodocantha owned by the Duke of Leeds
2. Plumper owned by Mr Husband
3. Unnamed colt by Prime Minister owned by Colonel Cradock

Richmond Gold Cup over a mile and a furlong
1. Canteen owned by Lord Sligo
2. Carnival owned by Mr Lambton
3. Rhodocantha owned by the Duke of Leeds

Richmond Silver Cup over 2 miles
1. Mountaineer owned by Mr Ferguson
2. Bos owned by Mr Orde Powlett
3. Plumper owned by Mr Husband

James Whyte’s History of the British Turf notes that racing first took place at Richmond, some 44 miles from York, in 1762 and that 2 days of racing took place at the start of September The racecourse was on Whitcliffe Pasture, common meadow land owned by the town, which ‘affords and excellent course’. Whyte records the September 1839 races as:-
Borough Member’s Plate;
Earl of Zetland Dundas Stakes;
Richmond Gold Cup;

The Sapling Stakes over 5 furlongs
1. Circlet owned by Lord Hastings
2. Syra owned by Major Stapylton
3. Queen Glencoe owned by Mr W l’Anson

The Richmond Handicap Plate over a mile and a half
1. Stalactite owned by Mr T Lindsay
2. Lady Killer owned by Mr P Buchanan
3. Folkingham owned by Marquis Talon

The Wright Stakes over 5 furlongs
1. Sea-View owned by Lord Zetland
2. Syra owned by Major Stapylton
3. Unnamed filly by St Simon owned by Mr R S Crompton

The final meeting at Richmond was a two day meeting on Thursday 6th and Friday 7th August 1891. Details of selected races are shown above.

The link below provides a wonderfully detailed description of the course and planes to transform it into a conservation area:-
https://www.richmondshire.gov.uk/media/4936/richmond-racecourse-conservation-area-study.pdf

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