Lingfield Park racecourse is located in a estate and was opened in 1890 by the
Prince of Wales (later
Edward VII), who gave permission for the Prince of Wales' feathers to be incorporated into the course's official logo. The course initially held jumps racing only, but in 1894 the
Jockey Club granted permission for flat racing to be held. Racing has been held continuously ever since, with the exception of the
Second World War. The
War Office requisitioned the course during the Second World War and it was used as an
internment camp, to detain civilians who were citizens of one of the
Axis powers. After the war, the racecourse returned to its pre-war owners, the Beckwith-Smith family. The racecourse was put up for sale by the family in 1974 at a price of £500,000. A few weeks later, it was sold to
Ladbrokes.
Ladbrokes sold the course in 1982 to Ron Muddle. The new owner installed flood defences on the estate to alleviate the flooding that had become a major problem in the years immediately after the war. A golf course was developed and this opened in June 1987. Leisure Investments purchased the Lingfield Park from Muddle in 1988 and work to install an all-weather track on the inside of the turf course was completed in October 1989. The racecourse is featured in the 1954 film
The Rainbow Jacket. ==Notable races==