Flemington Racecourse is a major horse racing

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

 venue located in Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

, Victoria

Victoria (Australia)

Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. It is most notable for hosting the Melbourne Cup

Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...

, which is Australia's richest horse race. The racecourse is situated on low alluvial flats, next to the Maribyrnong River

Maribyrnong river

The Maribyrnong River rises about 50 km north of Melbourne, Victoria , near Mount Macedon. It flows generally southward and combines with the Yarra River to flow into Port Phillip....

. The area was first used for horse racing in March 1840.

Overview

The Flemington Racecourse site comprises 1.27 square kilometres of Crown land

Crown land

In Commonwealth realms, Crown land is an area belonging to the monarch , the equivalent of an entailed estate that passed with the monarchy and could not be alienated from it....

. 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

Victoria Racing Club

The Victoria Racing Club was founded in 1864. It was formed following the disbanding of the Victoria Turf Club and the Victoria Jockey Club. A legacy passed from the Victoria Turf Club was the annual “race that stops a nation”, the Melbourne Cup, which was first contested in 1861.From its...

. The first Melbourne Cup

Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...

 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 (1,200 m) straight known as 'the Straight Six.' The track has a circumference of 2,312 metres and a final straight of 450 metres for race distances over 1,200 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 the famous racehorse Phar Lap

Phar Lap

Phar Lap was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse whose achievements captured the public's imagination during the early years of the Great Depression. Foaled in New Zealand, he was trained and raced in Australia. Phar Lap dominated Australian racing during a distinguished career, winning a Melbourne...

, 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

Harold Freedman

Harold Freedman was an artist from Victoria, Australia renowned for his work in public murals.Also known as Freidman.Collections include Ballarat Art Gallery, Victoria, Australia- Notable works and achievements :...

'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

Australian National Heritage List

The Australian National Heritage List is a list of places deemed to be of outstanding heritage significance to Australia. The list includes natural, historic and indigenous places...

 on 7 November 2006, announced during the 2006 Melbourne Cup.

The site is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register

Victorian Heritage Register

The Victorian Heritage Register lists places of cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria, Australia. It has statutory weight under the Heritage Act 1995 which establishes Heritage Victoria as the permit authority...

.
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

Melbourne tram route 57

Tram route 57 is a public transport service in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs from the corner of Flinders Street and Elizabeth Street in the city centre to West Maribyrnong in the inner Western suburbs....

 tram from the City (Elizabeth and 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 racecourse.
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

Group races

Group races are the highest standard of Thoroughbred horseraces in Australia. The Australian Pattern Committee recommends to the Australian Racing Board which races shall be designated as Group races...

 which are run at Flemington Racecourse.

Grp	Race Name	Age	Sex	Weight	Distance	Date
1	Ascot Vale Stakes Ascot Vale Stakes The Coolmore Stud Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for three year olds, at set weights, run over 1200 metres at Flemington Racecourse on VRC Derby Day...	3YO	Open	sw	1200	November
1	Australian Cup Australian Cup The Australian Cup is a Group 1 Weight for Age race for Thoroughbred racehorses run over 2000 metres, at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in March...	Open	Open	wfa	2000	March
1	Australian Guineas Australian Guineas The Australian Guineas is a VRC Group 1 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for three year olds, run at set weights, over a distance of 1600 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne in March... /Cadbury Guineas	3YO	Open	sw	1600	February
1	Cantala Stakes/Emirates Stakes Emirates Stakes The Emirates Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horserace held as part of the Melbourne Cup Carnival in early November. The race is over 1600 metres and is held at Flemington Racecourse...	Open	Open	hcp	1600	November
1	Myer Classic Myer Classic The Myer Classic is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Australian Thoroughbred horse race held under Weight for Age conditions, for fillies and mares aged three-years-old and upwards, over a distance of 1600 metres. It is held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in October...	3YO+	F&M	wfa	1600	November
1	Lightning Stakes Lightning Stakes The Lightning Stakes is a Group 1 Australian thoroughbred horse race at Weight for Age, run over a distance of 1000 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne in February. Prizemoney is A$750,000...	Open	Open	wfa	1000	February
1	LKS Mackinnon Stakes LKS MacKinnon Stakes From 1869 to 1936 the LKS Mackinnon Stakes was known as the Melbourne Stakes.The LKS Mackinnon Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 2000 metre Thoroughbred horse race run under Weight for Age conditions. The race is held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia on the Saturday before...	Open	Open	wfa	2000	November
1	Melbourne Cup	Open	Open	hcp	3200	November
1	Newmarket Handicap Newmarket Handicap The Newmarket Handicap is a VRC Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia. The event is an open handicap race over 1200 metres...	Open	Open	hcp	1200	March
2	Salinger Stakes Salinger Stakes The Salinger Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race held at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne on VRC Derby Day. The event is an open handicap run over a distance of 1200 metres. Total prize money for the race is A$300,000 and $2,000 trophy...	Open	Open	hcp	1200	November
1	The Age Classic The Age Classic The Patinack Farm Classic is a Victoria Racing Club Group One Australian Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over, under weight for age conditions, over a distance of 1200 metres...	Open	Open	wfa	1200	November
1	Turnbull Stakes Turnbull Stakes The Turnbull Stakes is a 2000 metre Group 1 Australian Thoroughbred horse race, run under set weights with penalties conditions. The race is held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in October. Total prize money is A$502,000. It is one of the important races of the Spring Racing Carnival along...	4YO+	Open	sw+p	2000	October
1	Victoria Derby Victoria Derby The Victoria Derby is an Australian Thoroughbred horse race held annually on the first day of Melbourne's annual Spring Racing Carnival, Victorian Derby Day, held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. A Group One race for three-year-old horses, it is raced on a left-handed turf course at a...	3YO	Open	sw	2500	November
1	VRC Oaks VRC Oaks The Crown Oaks , is the third day of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival at Flemington Racecourse. Oaks Day is held on the Thursday directly following Melbourne Cup Day... /Crown Oaks	3YO	Fillies	sw	2500	November
2	A.V Kewney Stakes A.V Kewney Stakes The A V Kewney Stakes is a Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for three year old fillies, run at set weights, over a distance of 1,600 metres at Flemington Racecourse in March...	3YO	Fillies	sw	1600	March
2	Blamey Stakes Blamey Stakes The Blamey Stakes is a Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race open run at Set Weights with Penalties over 1600 metres, at Flemington Racecourse in March each year.-Race history:* From 1955 to 1980 the race was run at Weight for Age....	3YO+	Open	sw+p	1600	March
2	Craiglee Stakes Craiglee Stakes The Craiglee Stakes, renamed the Makybe Diva Stakes, is a 1600 metre Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race at Set Weights with Penalties conditions. The race is held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia in September...	Open	Open	wfa	1600	September
2	Edward Manifold Stakes Edward Manifold Stakes The Edward Manifold Stakes is a VRC Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for 3 year old fillies at set weights run over a distance of 1600 metres at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in October...	3YO	Fillies	sw	1600	October
2	Gilgai Stakes Gilgai Stakes The Gilgai Stakes is a VRC Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for three year olds and upwards, at set weights with penalties, over a distance of 1200 metres. It is held annually at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in October...	Open	Open	sw+p	1200	October
2	Hilton International Stakes Hilton International Stakes The Hilton International Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for mares aged four years old and over under handicap conditions, over a distance of 2000 metres.It is held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne....	4YO+	Mares	hcp	2000	November
2	Rose Of Kingston Stakes Rose Of Kingston Stakes The Rose of Kingston Stakes is a VRC Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race, for mares four years old and upwards, at set weights with penalties, over a distance of 1400 metres. It is held annually at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in October...	4YO+	Mares	sw+p	1400	October
2	VRC Sires' Produce Stakes	2YO	Open	sw	1400	March
2	Wakeful Stakes Wakeful Stakes The Wakeful Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies, run under set weights with penalties conditions, over 2,000 metres at Flemington Racecourse on VRC Derby Day...	3YO	Fillies	sw+p	2000	November
3	Aurie's Star Handicap Aurie's Star Handicap The Aurie's Star Handicap is a Listed Australian Thoroughbred horse race held under open handicap conditions, for horses aged three years old and upwards, over a distance of 1200 metres. It is held annually down the 1200 metre Straight Course at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in August...	Open	Open	hcp	1200	August
3	Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes The Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes is a Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for fillies aged two years old, run at set weights, over a distance of 1200 metres. It is held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in March. Total prize money for the race is A$150,000.-Distance:* 1971 - 1972 held...	2YO	Fillies	sw+p	1200	March
3	Bobby Lewis Quality Bobby Lewis Quality The Bobby Lewis Quality is a VRC Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred quality handicap horse race for four year olds and upwards, over a distance of 1200 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne in September...	Open	Open	qlty	1200	September
3	Chatham Stakes Chatham Stakes The Chatham Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred open handicap horse race, over a distance of 1400 metres. It is held annually at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in October/November... /Yallambee Stud Stakes	Open	Open	hcp	1400	November
3	Frances Tressady Stakes Frances Tressady Stakes The Frances Tressady Stakes is a VRC Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred horse race held under set weight conditions with penalties, for mares aged four years old and upwards, over a distance of 1400 metres. It is held annually at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in March...	4YO+	Mares	sw+p	1400	March
3	Hotham Handicap/Saab Quality Saab Quality The Lexus Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred horse race held under quality handicap conditions, for horses aged four years old and upwards, over a distance of 2500 metres. It is held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on Victoria Derby Day. Total prize money for...	Open	Open	qlty	2500	November
3	Maribyrnong Plate	2YO	Open	sw+p	1000	November
3	Matron Stakes Matron Stakes (Australia) The Matron Stakes is a VRC Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred horse race held under set weight conditions with penalties, for mares aged four years old and upwards, over a distance of 1600 metres. It is held annually at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in March...	4YO+	Mares	sw+p	1600	March
3	Let's Elope Stakes Let's Elope Stakes The Let’s Elope Stakes is a VRC Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for mares aged four years old and upwards, over a distance of 1400 metres. Total prizemoney is A$200,000...	4YO+	Mares	sw+p	1400	September
3	Rory's Jester Stakes	3YO	Open	sw+p	1200	November
3	Standish Handicap Standish Handicap The Standish Handicap is a Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred horse race held under open handicap conditions, for horses aged two years old and upwards, over a distance of 1200 metres. It is held annually at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in January...	Open	Open	hcp	1200	January
3	C S Hayes Stakes C S Hayes Stakes The C S Hayes Stakes is a Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for three years old colts and geldings, at set weights with penalties, over a distance of 1400 metres...	3YO	C&G	sw+p	1400	February
3	The Vanity The Vanity The Vanity is a Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred horse race held under set weight conditions with penalties, for 3 year old fillies, over a distance of 1400 metres. It is held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in February...	3YO	Fillies	sw+p	1400	February
3	VRC Carbine Club Stakes VRC Carbine Club Stakes The VRC Carbine Club Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for three year olds, at set weights with penalties, over a distance of 1600 metres. It is held annually at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in October/November...	3YO	Open	sw+p	1600	November
3	VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes The VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over, under open handicap conditions, over a distance of 2500 metres.It is held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne....	Open	Open	qlty	2500	November
L	VRC St Leger Stakes	3YO	Open	sw+p	2500	April

Key

• hcp - handicap
  Handicapping
  Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. The word also applies to the various methods by which the advantage is calculated...
  
  
• qlty - quality handicap
• sw - set weights
• sw+p - set weights with penalties
• wfa - Weight for Age
  Weight for Age
  Weight for Age is a term in Thoroughbred horse racing which is one of the conditions for a race. It means that a horse will carry a set weight in accordance with the Weight for Age Scale. This weight varies depending on the horse’s age, its sex, the race distance and the month of the year...
  
  

Gallery

External links

• Victoria Racing Club - official website