Using Victoria Minibus Charter To Visit Top Horse Racecourses
During the period when the European settlement of Melbourne was taking form, horseracing was a popular sport in Tasmania and New South Wales. The rising interest gradually spread to assume a recognized structure, with the amalgamation of Victoria Turf Club and Jockey Club to build the Victoria Racing Club. Enlisted below are some of the top racecourses in the state which can be conveniently accessed through Victoria minibus charter.
Flemington Racecourse
Maintained by the Victorian Racing Club, the Flemington Racecourse is one of the oldest and well-renowned racing tracks in Australia. It’s an ideal setting for the esteemed Melbourne Cup held every November. Besides the Maribyrnong River, the course is located on low alluvial flats. By virtue of the low lying area well complemented by the surrounding hills, viewers can get a good look at the race.
Representing a strong Australian and Melbourne Heritage over the years, the Flemington had its first race meet on the rough river flats in 1840. In 2006, it was incorporated on the National Heritage list as a centre for cultural and traditional celebration. Other major events at this venue include the best racing festival across the globe, the Spring Racing Carnival, with almost all Group 1 races. During this carnival, cricket and football take a back seat, as Aussie Punters shift their attention to racing.
Caulfield Racecourse
Hardly 20 minutes drive towards the south east of Melbourne; the Caulfield Racecourse is home to the Melbourne Racing Club. It was in 1876 when proper horse racing began, and since then, the spot has grown into a fabulous course featuring both a steeple track and a horse racing track. Major renovations were done between 1995 and 1996, to fabricate a 2080-metre circumference track with 367-metre straight, which is currently being used.
In each season, there are 20 race days, with 11 Group One Races in a year. Major events at this venue include Spring and Autumn Racing Carnivals. Given the sharp corners, with an anticlockwise track in a triangular shape, the course is a challenging one for horses of all abilities.
Moonee Valley Racecourse
Horse racing at Moonee Valley began in 1883, when legendary William Sam Cox laid the foundation of one of the greatest racecourses in the country that we have today. Its reputation is a direct reflection of the track’s quality and the quality of races it has produced over the years. Offering both horse and harness racing, it’s the only one in Melbourne to provide night racing facilities. Three of the greatest Australian races are hosted at this venue, including the coveted WS Cox Plate, the Australia Stakes and the Manikato Stakes.
The racing track is comparatively smaller with a circumference of 1805 metres and a 173-meter straight, going anticlockwise. Short straights make it difficult for the horses in the back to advance forward. One of the biggest harness race meets held at the Moonee Valley is the Sew-Eurodrive Victoria Cup Carnival worth $375,000 in prize money.
Sandown Racecourse
Also known by the name of Betfair Park, the Sandown Racecourse is the only Metropolitan racecourse that was built in the 20th Century. It acts as both a steeple racetrack and a thoroughbred racing. With a circumference of 2087 metres and a straight of 407 metres, the hillside is the larger of the two. Given a steep rise in the anticlockwise track, it suits strong finishers.
Sandown Classic is the main event at this venue, featuring Group Two weight-for-age races for horses aged 2 years and older. This 2400m race is worth the prize money of $350,000. The Sandown Guineas is another prestigious Group-2 race of the season, along with the Group 3 Sandown Stakes for horses aged 4 years and above.
Geelong Racecourse
Conducting over 35 race meets annually, the Geelong Racecourse is one of the most prominent regional racing tracks in Victoria, and the only one to hold meetings during the Spring Racing Carnival in Melbourne. Horse races at this spot began way back in the 1840s, and the most important event here is the 2400 metre Group Three Geelong Cup, which is literally an entry ticket for the Melbourne Cup. Drawing some of the best horses from across the country, the Geelong Racecourse has a couple of tracks including a turf and a synthetic one.
Supporting a distance between 1000m and 2200m on the synthetic track and distances of 1100m to 2400m on the grass track, the course is considered to be a fair one with long straights for the horses.
Ballarat Turf Club
Established in 1854, the Ballarat Turf Club holds 30 race meetings each season, the most in any Victorian regional grass circuit. The biggest one at this track is the 2200m open handicap Ballarat Cup, worth prize money of $130,000. Midweek races are also conducted in various days including the special ones like the Family Fun Race Day and Christmas Party Race Day.
With a capacity of 18 horses on the field, the club is well known for its hurdle and steeple races on the old and new track, featuring 450m straight and 1900m circumference. The tier-one training facility can accommodate as many as 300 horses every morning, with modern visitor and grandstand facilities for spectators.
Moe Racecourse
Hosting a number of steeple, hurdle and thoroughbred races throughout the year, the Moe Racing Club attracts plenty of national and international racegoers. Being the largest capacity track in Gippsland, the venue plays host to premier race meets like the GPG Mobil Moe Cup with prize money of $130,000, held amid the Spring Racing Carnival. Other key attractions are the Baw Baw Country Cup, a 1600 meters handicap race and the Open Baw Baw Country Cup.
Featuring Obstacle races, the Super Jumps Day is held in July. The hurdle race worth $25,000 is regarded as the Gippsland Grand National Hurdle, alongside the steeple race with prize money of $30,000. The racecourse conducts 15 race meets annually, and is relatively a small track with a medium sized straight of 300m and a circumference of 1740m.