Melbourne Racing Club
Encyclopedia
The Melbourne Racing Club is one of three metropolitan horse racing clubs in Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
. It began life as the Victoria Amateur Turf Club in 1875 with Mr. E.C. Moore as the Club's first Secretary. The Dowling Forest Racecourse in Ballarat
was the location for the first VATC race meeting on Friday, 24 March 1876. Within six months the VATC were granted use of Crown land at Caulfield as a permanent home in Melbourne.
In 1879, the club staged the first running of the Caulfield Cup
, and two years later, introduced the Caulfield Guineas
and the Toorak Handicap
. In addition the Caulfield Cup was switched to the spring racing season and became the lead up race to the Melbourne Cup. The Futurity Stakes
was added to the racing calendar in 1898. The Club suffered the loss of the Members' Stand in 1922 when it was destroyed by fire, and five years later the Guineas Stand was also burnt down.
The military occupied Caulfield Racecourse
in 1940 for a period of four years when it became a depot and barracks for army recruits during the second World War. The then Vice-President of the USA, Richard Nixon
attended the Caulfield Cup meeting in 1953.
In 1963 the Melbourne Racing Club, which had been created from an amalgamation of the Williamstown Racing Club and the Victorian Racing and Trotting Association, was incorporated into the VATC. Following the merger, the newest of Melbourne’s race tracks, Sandown Racecourse
, was opened on 19 June 1965 in front of a crowd of over 52,000.
The first Blue Diamond Stakes
, a race for 2 year olds, was run at Caulfield in 1971 and won by Tolerance.
The glass-fronted Rupert Clarke Grandstand, which replaced the main Caulfield grandstand of the 1920s, was opened in 1992.
With the increase in the number of visiting international horses to the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival
a permanent Quarantine
Centre was established by the VATC at Sandown Racecourse in 1997.
In 2001 the Club commenced a five year, $20 million, strategic plan which included the establishment of 20 feature race days at Caulfield; construction of a second turf track at Sandown to be known as Hillside, with the existing circuit being renamed Lakeside; a major upgrade of facilities and training tracks at Caulfield; and the change of club name from Victoria Amateur Turf Club to Melbourne Racing Club.
Jumps racing is conducted at the Sandown track during the winter months, the blue ribbon events being the Australian Steeple and the Australian Hurdle.
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 began life as the Victoria Amateur Turf Club in 1875 with Mr. E.C. Moore as the Club's first Secretary. The Dowling Forest Racecourse in Ballarat
Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
was the location for the first VATC race meeting on Friday, 24 March 1876. Within six months the VATC were granted use of Crown land at Caulfield as a permanent home in Melbourne.
In 1879, the club staged the first running of the Caulfield Cup
Caulfield Cup
The Caulfield Cup, one of Australia's richest Thoroughbred horse races and the richest of its type in the world is held annually by the Melbourne Racing Club. The race is a handicap like the Melbourne Cup, which means that horses that compete in the Caulfield Cup are capable of running on the...
, and two years later, introduced the Caulfield Guineas
Caulfield Guineas
The Caulfield Guineas is a Melbourne Racing Club Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held over 1600 metres at set weights for three-year-old horses, held annually on the second Saturday in October and forms part of the Spring Carnival at Caulfield Racecourse. Total prize money is A$1 million...
and the Toorak Handicap
Toorak Handicap
The Toorak Handicap is a 1600 metre Australian open handicap race for Thoroughbred horses aged three-years-old and upwards run at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne. The race takes place in early October as part of the Spring Racing Carnival in conjunction with the Caulfield Cup...
. In addition the Caulfield Cup was switched to the spring racing season and became the lead up race to the Melbourne Cup. The Futurity Stakes
Futurity Stakes (Australia)
The Futurity Stakes is a Group 1 Australian weight-for-age Thoroughbred horse race held at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne. For most of its history it was a 1400 metre race but since 2006 it has become the first leg of the Asian Mile Challenge series, and its distance has changed to 1600 metres...
was added to the racing calendar in 1898. The Club suffered the loss of the Members' Stand in 1922 when it was destroyed by fire, and five years later the Guineas Stand was also burnt down.
The military occupied Caulfield Racecourse
Caulfield Racecourse
Caulfield Racecourse is one of Melbourne, Australia's best-known horse-racing tracks. Commonly known as "The Heath" by local racegoers, it is located eight kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, on the boundary of Caulfield and Caulfield East in Melbourne's south eastern suburbs...
in 1940 for a period of four years when it became a depot and barracks for army recruits during the second World War. The then Vice-President of the USA, Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
attended the Caulfield Cup meeting in 1953.
In 1963 the Melbourne Racing Club, which had been created from an amalgamation of the Williamstown Racing Club and the Victorian Racing and Trotting Association, was incorporated into the VATC. Following the merger, the newest of Melbourne’s race tracks, Sandown Racecourse
Sandown Racecourse
Sandown Racecourse is one of the four horse racing venues located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Built for the Victoria Amateur Turf Club, it is the only metropolitan racecourse built in the 20th century and was opened before a crowd of 52,000, in June 1965.Sandown Racecourse is situated 25...
, was opened on 19 June 1965 in front of a crowd of over 52,000.
The first Blue Diamond Stakes
Blue Diamond Stakes
The Blue Diamond Stakes is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for two year olds, at set weights, run over 1200 metres at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The race was first run in 1971 and is Victoria's richest two year old race with total prizemoney of A$1.0 million...
, a race for 2 year olds, was run at Caulfield in 1971 and won by Tolerance.
The glass-fronted Rupert Clarke Grandstand, which replaced the main Caulfield grandstand of the 1920s, was opened in 1992.
With the increase in the number of visiting international horses to the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival
Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival
The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival is the name of a Melbourne, Australia Thoroughbred horse racing series held annually during October and November .-The Carnival and its status in the wider community:...
a permanent Quarantine
Quarantine
Quarantine is compulsory isolation, typically to contain the spread of something considered dangerous, often but not always disease. The word comes from the Italian quarantena, meaning forty-day period....
Centre was established by the VATC at Sandown Racecourse in 1997.
In 2001 the Club commenced a five year, $20 million, strategic plan which included the establishment of 20 feature race days at Caulfield; construction of a second turf track at Sandown to be known as Hillside, with the existing circuit being renamed Lakeside; a major upgrade of facilities and training tracks at Caulfield; and the change of club name from Victoria Amateur Turf Club to Melbourne Racing Club.
Jumps racing is conducted at the Sandown track during the winter months, the blue ribbon events being the Australian Steeple and the Australian Hurdle.