Finney Hill Races: These races, which it appears are to be annual, came off on Monday week. The winning post was erected at the summit of the hill, and the course (the turnpike road) near it was thronged by a large concourse of spectators from Sheepshed, Loughborough, and other places. The horse, pony, and donkey races were heats, distance half a mile. The pony race for a new bridle came off first, the first heat being run about two o’clock. Four ponies were entered for the prize, viz.: Newham’s of Kegworth, Wilson’s of Sheepshed, and Clifford’s and Pinsent’s of Loughborough. The Kegworth pony won easily the first heat, the Sheepshed the second, and, in the third it and Pinsent’s were neck by neck until within a few yards of the winning post, when the Sheepshed got in advance and won by about half a length. This was the closest contested race of the day. The next was a horse race for a new saddle, between a horse of Mr. Newham’s of Kegworth, and one of Mr. Chester’s of Blackbrook. The Kegworth horse won both heats easily. The donkey race, for 7s 6d was won by a donkey belonging to Jack Onion, of Belton, who is well known by most gentlemen of the Leicestershire hunt. The donkey was jockeyed by Jack’s son Roger, who won both heats in gallant style, leaving his three competitors far behind in the vale below. … …
[see also Leicester Chronicle: Saturday 20th September 1851 & Nottinghamshire Guardian: Thursday 25th September 1851]
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
Referenced
GRO0839 Tiverton: Thomas Pinsent: 1795 – 1860