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» Ararat Races
Ararat Races, Race Track & Betting Odds
Ararat race course is located in Victoria, it has a 200 circumference and runs in an anti-clockwise direction. The track is long and has great sweeping turns and is a hard starting track for wide drawn runners. The straight is a healthy 350m long.
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Ararat Race Track:
Ararat Racecourse
About the Ararat Races
Being the gateway to Victoria’s Wimmera region, the Ararat racecourse is about 200 kilometres west of Melbourne and is situated on the Western Highway. When gold was discovered in the town in 1857, the start of organized thoroughbred racing here was eventually formed.
In December 15, 1857, the Ararat horse racing track had its first horse racing meet that was organized by the Ararat Turf Club. This four-day racing spectacle was attended by 5000 patrons on the first day and the attendance has grown to 8000 on the second day. This initial horse race meet made Ararat one of the oldest racing turfs in Victoria.
These races became a hit that the turf club was convinced that they needed to build a grandstand. This grandstand was completed during the 1870s from the left over bricks from the construction of the Aradale Mental Hospital. Though the exact date of inauguration of the grandstand is unknown, it could be the oldest building on a Victoria horse racing track.
The magnificently laid Ararat Racecourse is 2000 metres in circumference and it has a width of 18 metres. Its straight is at 350 metres and the track has a slight incline towards the winning post. Since it has banked turns, it gives a fair shot to all competing horses.
In 1998, the Wimmera Racing Club took over the facilitation of the amenities and races at the Ararat Racecourse. The Wimmera Racing Club is an umbrella organization that was founded by 11 clubs. As of present, this racing club is now managing Wimmera horse racing tracks such as Donald, Horsham, Nhill, Stawell, Great Western, Murto, St. Arnaud and Warracknabeal.
The most popular event in the Ararat horse racing calendar is the NMIT Ararat Gold Cup which feature the NMIT Cup and the China Bowl races which had a combined prize pool of about $100,000. This racing day also features a fashion contest which has the categories of Little Miss and Mister, Miss Teen Fashion, the Lady of the Day and the Best Dressed Gent.
Membership to the Wimmera Racing Club is at $50 and this includes a members pass for every race meet at all Wimmera-sanctioned courses including the Ararat Racecourse, a newsletter, access to member-only facilities, four complimentary guest passes on non-featured days and various discount on race day marquee and dining packages.