Flemington Races, Racecourse & Betting Odds
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Flemington racecourse is a wide open track with long sweeping turns. It has a circumference of 2,312 and a long straight that runs 450m. The track runs anti clockwise and as all Australian’s should know this is the home of the Melbourne Cup where Melbourne Cup Betting is considered a national past time.
The Races at Flemington
The Flemington Racecourse opened in March 1840 and it is adjacent to the Maribymong River. This racecourse is known for its 1200-metre straight which is popularly known as “The Straight Six” for it is six furlongs in length. The track has a circumference of 2312 metres while it has a final straight of 450 metres for races at 1200 metres. Races here are staged counter-clockwise.
Flemington Race Track Map
The Flemington Racecourse has three grandstands that can seat 120,000 spectators. In 2000, the grandstand of Flemington was renovated for $45 million. This grandstand has a bronze statue of the great Phar Lap which was donated to the Victoria Racing Club in 1988. Flemington also houses Harold Freeman’s History of Racing mural.
This seven-panel mural was commissioned by the state government for the bicentenary celebration in 1988 and can now be found at the Flemington Racecourse’s Hill Stand which was built in 1977. On November 7, 2006, the Flemington Racecourse became a National Heritage Site.
At present, the Flemington horse racing track is home to some of the top races in Australian horse racing such as the VRC Derby, the MacKinnon Stakes, the Australian Cup, the VRC Oaks, the Newmarket Handicap and the Lightning Stakes. However, the most prominent horse race that Flemington hosts is the Melbourne Cup.
Flemington Racecourse - From Google Eart
Tagged as the “race that stops a nation”, the Melbourne Cup is the premier Thoroughbred horse race in Australia where everyone on the day is looking for the best Melbourne Cup Odds. This race for three-year-old horses and up is contested for 3,200 metres. It is held at about 3 pm during the first Tuesday of November and it is also considered as the richest and most prestigious two-mile handicap and turf races in the world. For the 2010 edition, the prize pool is at AUD $6 million.
The Melbourne Cup was first held in 1861 over 3,218 metres but it was adjusted to exactly 3,200 metres in 1972 due to the metric system. Because of which, the Melbourne Cup record that was set in 1968 by Rain Lover of 3:19.1 was adjusted to 3:17.9. For the 2009 edition, Mark Kavanagh-trained Shocking won the race at 3:23.87 with jockey Corey Brown onboard.
Meanwhile, the 2500-metre, Group 1 AAMI Victoria Derby is one of Australian horse racing’s great classic races and it is the premier staying event at the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival for three-year-old race horses. This set weights event is held at the Flemington racecourse and it has a prize pool of $1,500,000 in prize money. This horse race is also held during the first day of the four-day Flemington Spring Racing Carnival.
On the other hand, the Crown Oaks is the premier event for three-year-old staying fillies that is held at Flemington races during the third day of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival in November. This 2500-metre race is the equivalent of the Victoria Derby which has the same distance but is reserved for colts and geldings. The Crown Oaks is a set weight race that is strictly for fillies.
Also held at the Flemington Racecourse is the Emirates Stakes which is the richest 1600-metre handicap race in Victoria and at the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival with a prize pool of above $1,000,000. Meanwhile, the Mackinnon Stakes is a 2000-metre Group 1 weight-for-age race which is regarded as a great lead-up race for the Melbourne Cup.
The Newmarket Handicap is one of the oldest and most prestigious sprint races in Australia. The Newmarket Handicap is one of the highlights of the Flemington Festival of Racing and it is held during the second weekend of March.
The 2000-metre, Group 1 Australian Cup is a weight-for-age race that is held annually every March at the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. This race takes place on Super Saturday which features seven group races including the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap and the Group 1 Australian Guineas. This race has total prize money of $1,000,000.
Finally, the Group 1, 1000-metre Lightning Stakes is a weight-for-age horse race that held annually every late January or late February at Melbourne’s Flemington racecourse, It is the first Group 1 event in the Melbourne horse racing calendar and it currently carries at total prize purse of $500,000.
Aside from the racecourse, the Flemington Racecourse has snack areas, a VIP-only area, corporate suites and the Chairman’s Club. The Flemington Racecourse can be reached by train via the Flemington Racecourse Line, by tram via West Maribymong and by car through Epsom Road. By car, the Flemington racecourse is just about 15 minutes from the Central Business District of Melbourne.
Flemington Group 1 Races:
| GOUP 1 RACES |
DISTANCE | AGE |
| CROWN MACKINNON STAKES | 2,000 | O |
| MYER CLASSIC | 1,600 | 3+ |
| TURNBULL STAKES | 2,000 | 4+ |
| VICTORIA DERBY | 2,500 | 3 |
| COOLMORE STUD STAKES | 1,200 | 3 |
| MELBOURNE CUP | 3,200 | O |
| CROWN OAKS | 2,500 | 3 |
| PATINACK FARM CLASSIC | 1,200 | O |
| EMIRATES STAKES | 1,600 | O |
| LIGHTNING STAKES | 1,000 | O |
Flemington Group 2 Races:
| GROUP 2 | DISTANCE | AGE |
| MAKYBE DIVA STAKES | 1,600 | O |
| EDWARD MANIFOLD STAKES | 1,600 | 3 |
| BLAZER STAKES | 1,400 | 4+ |
| GILGAI STAKES | 1,200 | O |
| LONGINES WAKEFUL STAKES | 2,000 | 3 |
| SEPPELT SALINGER STAKES | 1,200 | O |
| MATRIARCH STAKES | 2,000 | 4+ |
About the Flemington Races
The Flemington Racecourse was first used for horse racing in March 1840 and is located next to the Maribymong River on low flats. In 1848, the track was leased to the Victoria Turf Club. In 1864, the Victoria Turf Club merged with the Victoria Jockey Club to create the Victoria Racing Cup. In 1871, the Victoria Racing Club gained legal control over the Flemington horse racing track.
The Flemington Racecourse is not pear-shaped and it has a 1200-metre straight which is popularly known as “The Straight Six” for it is six furlongs in length. The track has a circumference of 2312 metres while it has a final straight of 450 metres for races at 1200 metres. Races here are staged counter-clockwise.
The three grandstands of the Flemington horse racing facility can accommodate 120,000 spectators. The biggest attendance that was ever recorded here is 129,089 during the 2006 VRC Derby Day. Due to ever growing needs, the Flemington racecourse has been a subject of several constructions and renovations. The most notable of these changes is the $45 million grandstand in 20000.
This grandstand has a bronze statue of the famous Australian racehorse Phar Lap. The statue was donated to the Victoria Racing Club in 1988 during the bicentenary celebration of Australian independence. This horse racing complex is also a witness to racing history thanks to the History of Racing mural by Harold Freeman.
This seven-panel mural was commissioned by the state government for the bicentenary celebration in 1988 and can now be found at the Flemington Racecourse’s Hill Stand which was built in 1977. On November 7, 2006, the Flemington Racecourse became a National Heritage Site.
At present, the Flemington horse racing track is home to some of the top races in Australian horse racing such as the VRC Derby, the MacKinnon Stakes, the Australian Cup, the VRC Oaks, the Newmarket Handicap and the Lightning Stakes. However, the most prominent horse race that Flemington hosts is the Melbourne Cup.
