Caulfield

The Caulfield Racecourse

Caulfield Racecourse is home to the Melbourne Racing Club and located just 8km from the Melbourne CBD in the south-eastern suburbs. The first jockeys to ride through this area had to fight through sand hills, bush and heath and the track is often referred to as “The Heath”. True racing began here in 1876 and it has now grown into a spectacular racecourse featuring both a horse racing and a steeple track. The racecourse underwent major renovations between 1995 and 1996, with the track being widened to 30 metres and the circumference extended by 43 metres. The track is now 2080m in circumference with a straight of 367m, an anticlockwise track with a sharp cornered triangular shape. Caulfield hosts 20 race days in each season including eleven Group 1 races throughout the year. The two main events are the Spring and Autumn Racing Carnivals.

Spring is a busy season at Caulfield, particularly over the three day Caulfield Cup Carnival. The first race on the list is the Group 1 Underwood Stakes, an 1800m weight-for-age race worth $353,000 in prize money. But the biggest race held at Caulfield is the 2400m Group 1 Caulfield Cup; this race is worth an amazing $2,555,000 in prize money plus $44,000 in trophies.

The Caulfield Guineas is a 1600m Group 1 set weight race for 3 year olds and is worth just over $1 million; colts and geldings must carry 55.0kg and fillies must carry 53.0kg. The 1000 Guineas is a filly only race worth $503,000 in prize money; a 1600m set weight race for 3 year old fillies which must carry 55.5kg.

The Blue Diamond Stakes is a 1200m set weight race for 2 year olds held during the Autumn Carnival; it’s a Group 1 race worth $1 million in prize money. The next big race is the CF Orr Stakes, a Group 1 1400m weight-for-age race which is worth $300,000 in prize money.

The Futurity Stakes is the first leg of the Asian Mile Challenge, raced over a 1600m track the Group 1 weight-for-age race is worth $700,000 in prize money and attracts quality middle distance runners. The last major race of the Autumn Carnival is the Group 1 1100m Open Handicap and that’s worth $350,000.