Earliest meeting: Saturday 19th September 1868
Final meeting: Saturday 19th September 1868
The tiny Essex hamlet of Belhus, near Aveley, once held races in the middle of the 19th century. The hamlet boasts a mansion called Belhus Mansion, or Belle House, which was previously owned by the Barrett-Lennard family. The races took place on the estate of the grand mansion and were held in 1868. The only meeting was staged on Saturday 19th September 1868 and saw the opening Springfield Plate go to Mr Willie’s 10/1 outsider Charivari. The feature race of the day, the Nursery Stakes, was won by Sir Thomas when his horse Pharmacopoeia was victorious at the generous odds of 8/1. Today the land and house have become a country park and golf course, with little evidence of where the former races were once contested.

Springfield Plate, Belhus Nursery Plate, Mainstone Plate

Saturday 19th September 1868
Belhus Nursery Stakes over 4 furlongs
1. Pharmacopoeia, bay filly owned by Sir T Barrett-Lennard
2. First Fiddle, bay filly owned by Mr C Jarvis
3. Witchery, bay filly owned by Mr Jas Sander

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