Editing Regency era (section)

=== Horse racing ===

[[Horse racing]] had been very popular since the years after the [[Stuart Restoration|Restoration]] when [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] was a frequent visitor to [[Newmarket Racecourse]]. In the Regency era, the [[British Classic Races|five classic races]] had all been inaugurated and have been run annually since 1814. These races are the [[St Leger Stakes]] (first run in 1776), [[Epsom Oaks|The Oaks]] (1779), the [[Epsom Derby]] (1780), the [[2,000 Guineas Stakes]] (1809) and the [[1,000 Guineas Stakes]] (1814).<ref>{{cite book |author=Fletcher |first=J. S. |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofstleger0000flet |title=The history of the St Leger stakes, 1776–1901 |publisher=Hutchinson & Co. |year=1902 |isbn=978-0-9516-5281-7}}</ref>

[[National Hunt racing]] began in 18th century Ireland and developed in England through the Regency era. There are tentative references to races held between 1792 and 1810.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Daily Telegraph Chronicle of Horse Racing |editor-last=Barrett |editor-first=Norman |location=Enfield, Middlesex |publisher=Guinness Publishing |year=1995 |pages=9–12}}</ref> The first definitely recorded [[Hurdling (horse race)|hurdle race]] took place on [[Durdham Down]], near [[Bristol]], in 1821.<ref>Barrett, p. 12.</ref> The first officially recognised [[steeplechase (horse racing)|steeplechase]] was over a cross-country route in Bedfordshire on 8 March 1830.<ref>''Sporting Magazine'' (1830), May and July editions.</ref>

[[Aintree Racecourse]] held its first meeting on 7 July 1829.<ref>{{cite web |date=9 April 2019 |title=And they're off – a brief history of Aintree racecourse and the Grand National |url=https://www.ageconcernliverpoolandsefton.org.uk/and-they're-off-a-brief-history-of-aintree |website=Age Concern Liverpool & Sefton }}{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> On 29 February 1836, a race called the [[1836 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase|Grand Liverpool Steeplechase]] was held. One of its organisers was Captain [[Martin Becher]] who rode [[The Duke (horse)|The Duke]] to victory. The infamous sixth fence at Aintree is called [[Becher's Brook]]. The 1836 race, which became an annual event, is recognised by some as the first [[Grand National]], but there are historical uncertainties about the three races between 1836 and 1838 so they are officially regarded as precursors to the Grand National. Some sources insist they were held on Old Racecourse Farm in nearby [[Maghull]] but this is impossible as that course closed in 1835.<ref>[http://www.tbheritage.com/TurfHallmarks/racecharts/Steeplechase/GrandNationalEarly.html "The Birth of The Grand National: The Real Story".] Mutlow, Mick (15 June 2009). Thoroughbred Heritage. Retrieved 9 July 2020.</ref> The first official Grand National was the [[1839 Grand National|1839 race]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Wright |first=Sally |date=3 April 2020 |title=An early history of Aintree racecourse |url=https://www.timeform.com/horse-racing/features/generic-feature/an-early-history-of-aintree-racecourse-342020 |website=Timeform}}</ref>