Earliest meeting: July 1830
Final meeting: Wednesday 21st July 1847
Racing has taken place in the small Kent village of Lee near Eltham since 1830, but James Whyte in his ‘History of the British Turf’ commented rather unkindly that ‘races are of little note and merely for local interest’. Despite that comment the races were still in existence 17 years later, and survived on-going village disputes throughout that time. In the early days the races were known as ‘Lee and Eltham’, but there was always a faction in the village fighting against the races. The meetings were held in two large fields located between Lee and Blackheath. By 1836 some villagers had got their way and an alternative location was found, with a different group of organisers in charge. The meeting was referred to as the Lee Green races and was organised by Charles Morton of the Tiger’s Head. Each year all problems were overcome and the races continued until a final 2 day meeting on Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st July 1847.

Thursday 18th & Friday 19th August 1836

The West Kent Stakes over 3 miles
1. Guitar owned by Mr Balchin walked over

The Railway Plate over a mile
1. Tally-Ho owned by Mr Sadler
2. Nonsense owned by Mr Agate
3. Springhead Lass owned by Mr Hemery

The Greenwich Borough Cup over a mile
1. Eliza Thornville owned by Mr Brown
2. Adelaide owned by Mr Collins
3. Wilful Will owned by Mr King

The Licensed Victuallers Plate over a mile
1. Jenny Wren owned by Mr Bishop
2. Guitar owned by Mr Balchin
3. Emir owned by Mr Seffert

The Scurry Stakes over 6 furlongs
1. Alice Grey owned by Mr Reid
2. Dreadnought owned by Mr Chamberlayne
3. Fear Not owned by Mr Whitmarsh

Tuesday 26th to Wednesday 27th September 1843

The Eltham Stakes over 2 miles
1. Laurestina owned by Mr Dixon
2. Isabella owned by Mr Law
3. Confidence

The Garrison Stakes over 2 miles
1. Dart owned by Mr Parr
2. Hampton
3. Ellen owned by Mr Withy

The Licensed Victuallers Plate over 2 miles
1. Xanthus owned by Mr Parr
2. Ellen owned by Mr Withy
3. Star owned by Mr Dixon

The County Stakes over 2 miles
1. Laurestina owned by Mr Dixon
2. Affection
3. Isabella owned by Mr Law

Wednesday 18th September 1844
Prince of Wales Cup
1. Princess, bay filly owned by Mr Armfield
2. Beauty, aged horse owned by Mr Bedale
3. Gay Lass, aged horse owned by Mr Smith
Betting: 4/6 Beauty, 4/1 Princess, 5/1 Gay Lass

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