Flemington Racecourse

Infobox Racecourse
Name = Flemington


Website = http://www.vrc.net.au/victoria-racing-club/
Location = Flemington, Victoria
Owner = Victoria Racing Club
Opened = 1840
Channel = Channel 7
CourseType = Flat
Jumps
steeplechase
NotableRaces = Melbourne Cup
Victoria Derby
LKS Mackinnon Stakes
Emirates Stakes
Newmarket Handicap
Australian Cup
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Flemington Racecourse is a major horse racing venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is most notable for hosting the Melbourne Cup, which is Australia's richest horse race. The racecourse is situated on low alluvial flats, next to the Maribyrnong River. The area was first used for horse racing in March, 1840.

Overview

The Flemington Racecourse site comprises 1.27 square kilometres of Crown land. The course was originally leased to the Victoria Turf Club in 1848, which merged with the Victoria Jockey Club in 1864 to form the Victoria Racing Club. The first Melbourne Cup was run in 1861. In 1871 the Victoria Racing Club Act was passed, giving the VRC legal control over Flemington Racecourse.

The racecourse is shaped not unlike a pear, and boasts a six-furlong (1200 m) straight known as 'the Straight Six.' The track has a circumference of 2312 metres and a final straight of 450 metres for race distances over 1200 metres. Races are run in an anti-clockwise direction.

The course has a crowd capacity of over 120,000 and contains three grandstands. The biggest ever attendance was on VRC Derby Day in 2006 when 129,089 people saw Efficient win the VRC Derby. The racecourse has undergone a facelift in recent years, with the opening of a new $45 million grandstand in 2000. It also contains a bronze statue of famous Australian racehorse Phar Lap, which was donated to the Club as part of Australia's bicentenary celebrations in 1988. The Hill Stand, built in 1977, houses the artist Harold Freedman's seven panel mural which traces the History of Racing. The work was commissioned to mark the Australian bicentenary in 1988.

Flemington Racecourse was added to the Australian National Heritage List on 7 November 2006 [ [http://environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/flemington/index.html Flemington Racecourse National Heritage Listing] ] , announced during the 2006 Melbourne Cup [ [http://www.racingandsports.com.au/racing/rsNewsArt.asp?NID=95195 Flemington now a National Treasure] ] .

Flemington Racecourse today hosts many of Australia's top races, including the Melbourne Cup, VRC Derby, VRC Oaks, MacKinnon Stakes, Newmarket Handicap, Australian Cup and Lightning Stakes.

Transport

The site has its own railway branch line, which operates on race days, bringing visitors to the adjacent railway station. Originally, it was serviced by Salt Water River station, before that was demolished in the 1860s and replaced with a station on the present site. Trains depart from platforms 8 and 9 at Flinders Street Station.The No. 57 tram from the City (Elizabeth & Flinders Streets) stops at the Epsom Road entrance.

Car spaces for the disabled are available and taxi ranks are located adjacent to the main entrances.Shuttle buses run from Epsom Road to the main turnstiles of the racecource.Lift access is available in the Prince of Wales Stand and to the first floor of the Members Stand.

Races

The following is a list of Group races which are run at Flemington Racecourse [ [http://www.australian-racing.net.au/groupListed/searchPage.html Australian Racing Board Database] ] .

Key

* hcp - handicap
* qlty - quality handicap
* sw - set weights
* sw+p - set weights with penalties
* wfa - Weight for Age

References

See also

* Australian horse-racing
* Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival

External links

* [http://www.flemington.com.au/ Official website]
* [http://www.accessibility.com.au/melbourne/sports/flem_race.htm Disability information]