Manchester Racecourse

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Manchester Racecourse was a former racecourse in Manchester, England.

Racing had been staged at Kersal Moor from the 17th Century. In 1847 it was moved across the River Irwell to Castle Irwell and held there until 1867. It was then moved to New Barns, Weaste, which was active from 1876 to 1901. In 1902 the new Barnes couse was sold for development and racing moved back to Castle Irwell which hosted both flat racing and National Hunt racing.

Manchester traditionally staged the final fixture of the British flat racing season, with the highlight being the Manchester November Handicap. When the course closed in 1963 the fixture was transferred to Doncaster Racecourse. Manchester was also the venue for the Lancashire Oaks from that race's inception in 1939 until 1963. It also staged a Classic race - the wartime substitute St. Leger in 1941.

Manchester staged British racing's first evening fixture on 13 July 1951 and a stand built in 1961 was the site of the first private boxes at a British sports venue.

The course closed after the final meeting on 7 November 1963 and was sold for property development.

[edit] References

• Wright, Howard (1986). The Encyclopedia of Flat Racing. Robert Hale, p175. ISBN 0709026390. 
• "A tradition going back centuries", Manchester Evening News, 6 June 2007