Caulfield Racecourse Reserve
LocationCaulfield, Victoria
Coordinates37°52′52″S 145°02′24″E / 37.881°S 145.040°E / -37.881; 145.040
Owned byCrown land
Screened onSeven Network
Notable racesCaulfield Cup
Caulfield Guineas
Blue Diamond Stakes
C F Orr Stakes
Oakleigh Plate
Underwood Stakes
Futurity Stakes

Caulfield Racecourse is one of Melbourne, Australia's best-known horse-racing tracks. Commonly known as "The Heath" by local racegoers,[1] It is home to the Melbourne Racing Club.

Horse-racing started there in 1859 on a bush track where the Melbourne Hunt Club met. A racecourse was then laid out on the site of the club's dog kennels. The Victoria Amateur Turf Club was then established in 1876 and the first Caulfield Cup race was run in 1879.[2]

The track has a triangular-shaped layout, comprising three straights, 30-metre (98 ft) wide, with a total circumference of 2.08-kilometre (1.29 mi) and a finishing straight of 367-metre (1,204 ft). All turns have a 4% to 6% banking. Racing takes place in an anti-clockwise direction. The totally glassed in Rupert Clarke stand provides an uninterrupted view of the racecourse.

Caulfield has about 25 race days each season and hosts some of the Australia's most famous and historic races including the Caulfield Cup, Caulfield Guineas, Blue Diamond Stakes, C F Orr Stakes, Oakleigh Plate, Underwood Stakes and Futurity Stakes.

Caulfield Racecourse Reserve is located nine kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, on the boundary of Caulfield and Caulfield East in Melbourne's south eastern suburbs. The Reserve was set aside for three purposes, racing, recreation and a public park. The Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Act 2017, established a Trust to plan for the future of the reserve, develop and maintain the reserve. https://www.crrt.org.au/

The Trust reports publicly on its activities through an annual report which is reported to the Victorian Parliament and available on the Trust's web page. https://www.crrt.org.au/

The Land Management Plan sets a bold vision for the future of the Reserve as a place for everyone is also available on the Trust's web page.

Transport

The reserve is on Melbourne tram route 3 and the journey takes about 35 minutes from the city centre.

Caulfield railway station is less than a hundred metres from the racecourse and is located on the Frankston, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. Trains depart every 10 minutes from Flinders Street station in the Melbourne CBD.

Caulfield Racecourse provides disabled carparks opposite the main entrance on Station Street. Lift access to grandstands and disabled toilets is available. There is also a baby change room and first aid facilities.

Reconstruction

After the 1995 Caulfield Cup the track had major reconstruction of the course proper and re-opened in April 1996.[3]

The track was widened to 30-metre (98 ft) around the entire circumference and the straight lengthened by 43-metre (141 ft). The new racing surface has been cambered from the outside running rail with the crown of the track at the outside running rail. The banking on the turn into the home straight is 4 percent, while the other turns have an equivalent banking of 2 percent.[3]

Further to the major works in 1996, the Caulfield track was re-laid in 2005 immediately preceding the Caulfield Cup Carnival and resumed racing for the Summer Classics Carnival, in February 2006.[3]

Races

The following is a list of Group races which are run at Caulfield Racecourse.

Grp Race name Age Sex Weight Distance Date
1 Blue Diamond Stakes 2YO Open sw 1200 February
1 C F Orr Stakes Open Open wfa 1400 February
1 Caulfield Cup Open Open hcp 2400 October
1 Caulfield Guineas 3YO Open sw 1600 October
1 Might and Power Stakes 3YO+ Open wfa 2000 October
1 Futurity Stakes Open Open wfa 1400 February
1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Open Open hcp 1400 September
1 Oakleigh Plate Open Open hcp 1100 February
1 The Thousand Guineas 3YO Fillies sw 1600 October
1 Toorak Handicap Open Open hcp 1600 October
1 Memsie Stakes 3YO+ Open wfa 1400 August
1 Underwood Stakes 3YO+ Open wfa 1800 September
2 Angus Armanasco Stakes 3YO Fillies sw 1600 February
2 Caulfield Autumn Classic 3YO Open sw 1800 February
2 Caulfield Sprint Open Open hcp 1100 October
2 Herbert Power Stakes Open Open qlty 2400 October
2 J J Liston Stakes 3YO+ Open wfa 1400 August
2 Schillaci Stakes 3YO+ Open wfa 1000 October
2 St George Stakes Open Open wfa 1800 February
2 Tristarc Stakes 4YO+ Mares sw+p 1400 October
3 Bletchingly Stakes Open Open wfa 1100 August
3 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G 2YO C&G sw 1100 February
3 Blue Diamond Prelude Fillies 2YO Fillies sw 1100 February
3 Coongy Handicap Open Open hcp 2000 October
3 Easter Cup Open Open hcp 2000 April
3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude 3YO C&G sw+p 1400 September
3 HDF McNeil Stakes 3YO Open sw+p 1100 August
3 How Now Stakes 4YO+ Mares sw+p 1200 September
3 Hyderabad Stakes 3YO+ F&M sw+p 1200 February
3 Mannerism Stakes 4YO+ Mares sw+p 1400 February
3 Moonga Stakes 4YO+ Open sw+p 1400 October
3 Naturalism Stakes Open Open hcp 2000 September
3 Norman Robinson Stakes 3YO Open sw+p 2000 October
3 Rubiton Stakes Open Open wfa 1100 January
3 Sir John Monash Stakes Open Open wfa 1100 July
3 T.S. Carlyon Cup Open Open sw+p 1400 February
3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes 3YO Fillies sw+p 1200 October
3 Thousand Guineas Prelude 3YO Fillies sw+p 1400 September
3 Victoria Handicap Open Open hcp 1400 April
3 W W Cockram Stakes 4YO+ Mares sw+p 1200 August

Examinations

Aside from its use for racing, the Caulfield Racecourse is also used by the VCAA to examine students who are unable to attend examinations at their schools as well as by Open Universities Australia (OUA) and its universities for the end of the study period examinations. The facility is also used for end of semester examinations by universities such as Monash University. The UMAT is also held at Caulfield Racecourse.

References

  1. ↑ "A short outline of Caulfield Park and Paddy's Swamp". Friends of Caulfield Park. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
  2. ↑ "Caulfield Victorian Places", www.victorianplaces.com.au, retrieved 2 March 2023
  3. 1 2 3 "Caulfield Racecourse - Racecourse and Track Profile". Only Melbourne. 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
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