Earliest meeting: Saturday 17th May 1873
Final meeting: Saturday 21st October 1876 (Flat), Tuesday 30th January 1877 (Steeplechase)
Today Eltham is a district in south-east London within Greenwich, just 14 kilometres from Charing Cross. It consists of 3 Wards, North, South and West and boasts a population of about 36,000. However, in the early part of the 13th century it was even more important, both because of its position on a main route from the English Channel ports, and because it had a Royal Palace as early as 1270 when Henry III was on the throne. Successive Kings and Queens located one of 5 Royal Studs at Eltham which flourished during the time of James I, Charles I and Charles II and was more important than Newmarket in 1600.
Tregonwell Frampton was born in 1641 at a time when the earliest shoots of racing were beginning to bloom. In 1609 James I had purchased the Griffin Inn in Newmarket and set about building the first of 3 Palaces in Newmarket. At this stage Newmarket was nothing more than a ‘poor little village’ in the words of James I, and was still some 13 years from staging its first recorded race. In 1622 King James had purchased further land in Newmarket to the east of the former Griffin Inn, on which The Swan was located. An account, written in 1622 by Sir Richard Graham who was 'Gentleman of the Horse' serving under Sir George Villers, 'Master of the Horse', contained a list of the Royal Stud horses kept for the chase and for races on the turf. In addition to a Royal Stud at Newmarket, there were other Royal Studs at Tutbury, Eltham, Cole Park, Malmesbury which was later leased to Sir George Marshall in 1625. Newmarket Heath was cleared in 1660 and this, along with Nell Gwynn, attracted King Charles II to Newmarket. Tregonwell began to attend race meetings on a regular basis in the latter years of King Charles II’s reign, even buying a house in Newmarket on the quaintly named Shagbag Alley, now Sackville Street, and he acquired ground at the foot of Warren Hill and Long Hill on which he built his first stables in 1670. There was a 10-year window of opportunity for Frampton to have known and worked with Sir John Shaw (born 1599), who died on 1st March 1679 aged 80, and he would have met him on numerous occasions in his Royal Stud work, and was so well thought of that he would have been the ‘go to’ person to consult on all things to do with racing, including the best design of a racecourse on Eltham Park, although little evidence remains to show that it was an operational racecourse rather than a training track for the nearby Royal Stud. Frampton could rightly be called the first trainer in Newmarket, the 'father of the turf', having been installed as trainer at Wandlebury by James II, he was made the official 'keeper of the running horses' at Newmarket in 1695, initially for William III who died on 8th March 1702, followed by Queen Anne who died on 1st August 1714, then George I, less interested in racing, who died on 22nd June 1727, and finally George II who outlived Frampton. His role of 'keeper of the King's running horses' gave him power and influence, supervising the Monarch's racehorses and Royal Studs and acting as arbiter on the racecourse. Whilst the Jockey Club, in name, might only have been founded in 1727, the role Frampton held was the equivalent of Jockey Club Steward right up to his death on 12th March 1728.
Moving on a couple of generations, Eltham combined with Lee to host races in the late 1830s and early 1840s on a course formed across 7 fields on the right-hand side of the road leading from Eltham to Lee. The fields were rented for the occasion from the Lord of the Manor by the landlords of the Chequers and Greyhound Inn at Eltham, although many other hostelries offered refreshment booths, including the Garrick Head and Tower Hotel. Towards the end of the period of Lee and Eltham races a further meeting was organised by the Royal Artillery, Eltham combining with Woolwich for the meeting starting on Tuesday 14th January 1845, but they later organised races in their own right; many of their early meetings were local affairs, with few horses travelling a distance.
Others gracing the Middle Mark Stud were the 1844 Epsom Derby winner Orlando late on in his stud career, but made famous for being awarded the Derby after the disqualification of Running Rein in the biggest scandal to ever hit the Epsom Derby, 1858 Epsom Derby winner Beadsman 1867 Epsom Derby winner Hermit, who started with a stud fee of just 20 guineas, but he became so successful that this increased to 300 guineas, 1864 Epsom Derby winner Blair-Athol, who was bought for £5000 and moved to the Stud in 1868, and 1865 Triple Crown winner Gladiateur, who stood at the Stud in 1867 and 1868 and who became known as ‘The Avenger of Waterloo’. His annual horse sales attracted numerous Turf celebrities and made them notable, not to be missed events. Although it was reported that Eltham races were held in the 1860s on a course on Harrow Meadows between Eltham Green and Kidbrook Lane and, by all accounts, were well attended by many prominent patrons including, on one occasion, the Prince of Wales who later became King Edward VII, it is much more likely that they were trials organised by the Middle Park Stud rather than races one could bet on. Certainly, in March 1868 the Prince of Wales did visit Middle Park Stud and witnessed some of the horses in action. William Blenkiron died at Middle Park on 25th September 1871 aged 64 and was buried in Eltham churchyard.
The first Eltham meeting to be sufficiently important to be included in Racing Calendars was staged on Saturday 17th May 1873 on a brand new course at Chislehurst Lane, organised by Mr Pawley and Mr Budden, and was well-attended by a large gathering, including many soldiers from the nearby Woolwich Barracks who were admitted to the course gratis. The course was described as ‘prettily situated’ and the view from the grandstand offered a view of the entire course. Results from the meeting are shown below.
Saturday 17th May 1873
Open Military Hunt Cup for 19 Guineas over 2 miles 4 furlongs
1. METEOR (6/4 fav) owned by Mr Fern and ridden by Mr W H Johnstone
2. LADYBIRD (4/1) owned by Mr Dundas and ridden by Captain White
3. HAMPSHIRE LASS (5/1) owned and ridden by Mr J M Low
4. ASHPLANT (2/1) owned and ridden by Mr Frank Hartigan
Eltham Handicap Hurdle 40 sovereigns over 2 miles and 8 hurdles
1. MANIFESTO (Evens fav) owned by Mr H Wright and ridden by Mr L’Anson
2. SPECTRE (8/1) owned and ridden by Mr J R Riddell
3. WILFUL (4/1) owned by Mr Grace and ridden by Murray
Belmont Military Steeplechase for 40 sovereigns over 2 miles 4 furlongs
1. MILANAIS (3/1) owned by Lord Rossmore and ridden by Colonel Harford
2. OAKLEY (7/1) owned and ridden by Captain Rutledge
3. CORNET (5/1) owned by Mr Dansey and ridden by Frank Hartigan
Open Hunters Stakes for 20 sovereigns over 2 miles on the flat
1. NAVIGATOR (Evens fav) owned by Mr Heneton and ridden by Mr Frewent
2. MERRY MONK (2/1) owned by Mr H Tetbury and ridden by Mr H M Rudd
3. LUCINA (10/1) owned and ridden by Mr F G Johnstone
Eltham Selling Hurdle for 20 sovereigns over 1 mile 4 furlongs and 6 hurdles
1. BIRDIE (4/1) owned by Mr Mason and ridden by W Reeves
2. ALICE (3/1) owned by Mr A Poole and ridden by Mr W Dambridge
3. EDWARDS (5/2 fav) owned by Mr Walter Gregory and ridden by Pickett
Royal Woolwich Garrison Cup over 2 miles on the flat
1. FUCHSIA (5/2) owned and ridden by Mr H Custance
2. GEMMA DI VERGY (4/6 fav) owned and ridden by Captain Aubertin
3. BELLADONNA (10/1) owned by Captain Churchill and ridden by Captain Filey
Eltham Beehive Cup for 19 guineas over 2 miles
1. MERRY MONK (7/4) owned by Mr H Tetbury and ridden by Mr H M Rudd
2. LUCINA (10/1) owned and ridden by Mr F G Johnstone
3. ALARM (10/1) owned by Mr J D Bain
In January 1874, barely 6 months after holding their inaugural race meeting, the proprietors of Eltham Racecourse and associated farm advertised that both were available for let. At that point the racecourse consisted of a Flat and Steeplechase course of 10 furlongs circumference, together with every convenience necessary for conducting race meetings. The Grand Stand and Private Stand, the weighing room, jockey’s room, Clerk of the Course’s Office and capacious refreshment rooms were newly erected in a ‘good and substantial manner’. The race ground and paddock were fenced with park palings, fitted with a turnstile and secure entrance gates, making it a commercial venture which would have made it the first Park course in the country, as Sandown Park did not open until Thursday 22nd April 1875. The adjacent farm comprised 80 acres of capital pasture land, with a good 6-bedroomed dwelling house, 3 sitting rooms, kitchen, offices, farm outbuildings, stabling for 20 horses, together with 2 additional cottages.
Camden Park Handicap
1. Zitella, 3 year old owned by Mr Johnson
2. The Druid, 6 year old owned by Mr Ainsley
3. Hannah, 4 year old owned by Mr Masterman
Betting: 4/7 Zitella, 4/1 The Druid, 5/1 Hannah
Meetings continued to be organised by the Eltham Race Club on Eltham Park and their principal races were the Camden Park Handicap and Middle Park two-year-old Stakes. Meetings were held in the spring, summer and autumn and at the two-day meeting on Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th March 1875 the card opened with the Woolwich Welter Handicap Plate which saw Mr Goode’s Chancellor beat Coeur de Lion and Watchward. The Middle Park Stakes which followed was for 2-year-olds and won by Mr Shannon’s Torpedo, while the feature Camden Park Handicap went to Zitella. After spring and summer meetings the next year the final card to include flat races was held on Saturday 21st October 1876. However, a 2-day meeting was held in 1877 over the Eltham Steeplechase and Hurdle course when the list of Stewards presiding at the meeting read like a veritable Who’s Who of racing dignitaries at that time, including Earl Poulett, Lord Marcus Beresford, Lord W Beresford, Lord G Pratt and the local MP Sir C H Mills. The final day of racing at Eltham was held on Tuesday 30th January 1877, details of which are shown below.
Tuesday 30th January 1877
Hunters Race for 40 sovereigns over 2 miles
1. HAWKHEAD (2/1) owned by Mr Thornton and ridden by Mr Rhys
2. COWDRAY (5/1) owned by Mr W Cartwright and ridden by Mr A Yates
3. BIRMINGHAM (6/4 fav) owned by Mr C Gregg and ridden by Mr F Gregg
Eltham Selling Handicap Hurdle for 40 sovereigns over 1 mile 4 furlongs and 6 hurdles
1. NAPOLITAIN (Evens fav) owned by Mr W Quartly and ridden by Murphy
2. BLACKSMITH (5/2) owned and ridden by Mr T Pickett
3. PEGGY (5/1) owned and ridden by Mr A Yates
Chislehurst Selling Handicap Steeplechase for 30 sovereigns over 2 miles
1. DUNOIS (1/2 fav) owned by Mr A Poole and ridden by Cassidy
2. ARTILLEUR (6/4) owned by Mr J Edwards and ridden by Little
Woolwich Handicap Hurdle for 40 sovereigns over 1 mile 4 furlongs and 6 hurdles
1. BAILIFF (11/2) owned by Mr W Harris and ridden by Manser
2. MISFIT (9/4) owned by Mr R Porter and ridden by Escott
3. MOORTOWN (3/1) owned by Mr Cavacan and ridden by Mr St James
Eltham Maiden Steeplechase Plate for 40 sovereigns over 2 miles
1. GLAUCUS (2/1) owned by Mr James Nightingall and ridden by Mr R Shepherd
2. MOORTOWN (2/5 fav) owned by Mr Cavacan and ridden by Mr St James
Middle Park Handicap Hurdle Plate for 50 sovereigns over 2 miles and 8 hurdles
1. MARSYAS (100/30) owned by Mr W Burton and ridden by J Clark
2. PEEP O’DAY (4/9 fav) owned by Mr J Winfield and ridden by Barlow
3. NEMO (10/1) owned by Mr J B Overton and ridden by S Daniels
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
