Horse racing is one of the most popular sports in Australia and with over 360 registered racecourses across the country which hold their share of races throughout the year. Over 3000 race meetings take place around the country at these famous racecourses in Australia.
Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane
Eagle Farm racecourse was established in 1863 and is a heritage-listed site. It is considered the premier racecourse in Brisbane. The track is 2,027 metres in circumference with a home straight of 434 metres. Group 1 races held there include the TJ Smith, the Queensland Oaks and the Queensland Derby. The venue was actually taken over by the military in 1941 to house American troops who were fighting in the Pacific War.
Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne
The Melbourne Cup is raced at Flemington, which is probably the most famous racetrack in Australia. If you’re having a bet on the Melbourne Cup with Sportsbet, you probably want to know as much as possible about this track. The venue was first used for horse racing in 1840, and the first Melbourne Cup was run there in 1861. The circumference of the track is 2.3 kilometres and has 1,200 metre straight, known as the ‘Straight Six’ and the races are run in an anti-clockwise direction. A bronze statue of the famous racehorse Phar Lap is situated in front of the Flemington Heritage Centre. Other famous races that run on this track include the Victoria Derby, VRC Oaks, and the Mackinnon Stakes
Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne
Caulfield Racecourse is home to the Melbourne Racing Club and is located in the south-eastern Melbourne suburb of Caulfield. It is a somewhat triangular shape with three straights and a total circumference of 2.08 kilometres. The first races were held there in 1859 and the track was then known as “the heath” to locals as when racing first began there, jockeys would have to ride through the bush, heath and sandhills to get there. Famous races that are held at this track include the Caulfield Cup, Blue Diamond Stakes and the Caulfield Guineas. The venue is open to the public on non-race days and there is a reserve that people can go to for recreation.
Moonee Valley Racecourse, Melbourne
This racecourse, located in the Melbourne suburb of Moonee Ponds and is owned privately by the Moonee Valley Racing Club. The farmland there was purchased by pioneer and founder William Samuel (W.S) Cox who opened it as a racecourse in 1883. It is home to the W.S. Cox Plate which was first run in 1922 and is named after the founder of the Moonee Valley Racing Club. Harness racing has also occurred there since the 1970s.
Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney
Randwick racecourse is a 2224 metre circumference track located in the eastern Sydney suburb of Randwick. Races were first run here back in 1833 but stopped in 1840 to become a training ground. Races resumed in 1860 after the Australian Jockey Committee moved their headquarters to Randwick. The racecourse is home to the richest turf race in the world, The Everest, which has a current prize pool of $15,000,000. Randwick Racecourse became Royal Randwick racecourse in 1992 when Queen Elizabeth II visited the venue and granted permission to change the name.
With these fantastic racetracks and more located all around Australia, it is no surprise that horseracing is a long-valued tradition in Australia. If you are a fan of the ponies, then a visit to Australia would not be complete without stopping by at least one of these locations.
