It is known that some of the earliest meetings of the Amble races took here, including likely the first in 1842.

Horse racing had an 80 year history in the village. There was at first a straight course further down towards Hauxley from 1842, with the "Amble St Leger" being the principal event for a silver cup worth £10 10s. 3 horses owned by local men competed with Sambo Sutton winning by a length. A stakes funded by subscription also took place with horses named Sugar Loaf, Stone Mason and Post-boy competing - Sugar Loaf won both hears. There was also a donkey race, foot race, wheelbarrow race and other minor carnival games. The the site of the cemetery near Gloster Terrace was used in later times, before a drought period for 30 years until around 1920 when races were held at Marks Bridge next to the railway for a couple of years.

The links were then much wider and it was probably this patch of grassland that was used. It was probably a straight course rather than a circuit, but there will have been no formal facilities. There is no inkling given on the first Ordnance Survey maps.