Ascot Racecourse is the major racecourse in Perth, Western Australia, situated approximately 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) east of the Perth central business district, with the headquarters of the Perth Racing positioned directly opposite.
 Ascot grandstand | |
| Location | Ascot, Western Australia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 31°56′06″S 115°55′30″E / 31.935°S 115.925°E |
| Operated by | Perth Racing |
| Date opened | March 1848 |
| Screened on | Seven Network |
| Race type | Flat |
| Course type | Tri-oval |
| Notable races | |
| Official website | |
It is regarded as the "grand old lady" of Australian racecourses.[1] It has a 2-kilometre (1.2 mi) track with modern, well drained turf, and a 300-metre (980 ft) track inclining straight regarded by experts[who?] as the most severe test of stayers in Australia.
History
editIn 1848 a race meeting was held on J. W. Hardey's "Grove Farm" alongside the Swan River. Soon afterwards a site was selected for a permanent course on Hardey's property – this became the Perth Race Course (later Ascot Racecourse). In 1852, the West Australian Turf Club was formed.[2][3]
The inaugural Perth Cup was held in 1887.[4][5] In 1885 a railway was constructed to the northern side of Swan River opposite the racecourse.[6] The railway was extended across the river to the racecourse in 1897.[7] The railway and station were removed in 1957.[8]
Races
editThe following is a list of Group races which are run at Ascot Racecourse.
| Grp | Race name | Age | Sex | Weight | Distance | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kingston Town Classic | 3YO+ | Open | wfa | 1800 | December |
| 1 | Railway Stakes | 3YO+ | Open | hcp | 1600 | November |
| 1 | Winterbottom Stakes | 3YO+ | Open | wfa | 1200 | November |
| 2 | C B Cox Stakes | 3YO+ | Open | wfa | 2100 | December |
| 2 | Karrakatta Plate | 2YO | Open | sw | 1200 | March |
| 2 | Lee Steere Stakes | 3YO+ | Open | wfa | 1400 | November |
| 2 | Perth Cup | 3YO+ | Open | hcp | 2400 | December |
| 2 | WATC Derby | 3YO | Open | sw | 2400 | April |
| 2 | WA Guineas | 3YO | Open | sw | 1600 | November |
| 3 | A J Scahill Stakes | 3YO+ | Open | wfa | 1400 | December |
| 3 | Asian Beau Stakes | 3YO+ | Open | hcp | 1400 | October |
| 3 | Colonel Reeves Stakes | 3YO+ | Open | hcp | 1100 | November |
| 3 | Lee Steere Classic | 3YO | Open | sw | 1400 | December |
| 3 | Prince Of Wales Stakes | 3YO+ | Open | wfa | 1200 | October |
| 3 | R J Peters Stakes | 3YO+ | Open | hcp | 1500 | November |
| 3 | WA Champion Fillies Stakes | 3YO | Fillies | sw | 1600 | November |
| 3 | WA Oaks | 3YO | Fillies | sw | 2400 | March |
| 3 | WATC Sires Produce | 2YO | Open | sw | 1400 | April |
Key
edit- hcp - handicap
- sw - set weights
- wfa - weight for age
Culture
editThe Perth Cup is Perth's feature event on the racing calendar held annually either on New Year's Day or a nearby Saturday.[9]
See also
edit- Belmont Park, Perth Racing's alternate season track to Ascot
- Ascot Racecourse in the United Kingdom.
References
edit- ^ Ascot
- ^ City of Belmont (Heritage) Inventory 2012 page 3; noting this has been superseded by https://www.belmont.wa.gov.au/docs/ecm/adopted-27-june-2023-ocm-local-heritage-survey-and-heritage-list.pdf
- ^ W. A. Turf Club centenary, 1852-1952, Periodicals Division, West Australian Newspapers, 1952, retrieved 1 April 2024
- ^ "A history of Ascot" (PDF). City of Belmont. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ "Amateur riders rode in the first Perth Cup race in 1887 Perth Cup History". Western Mail. Vol. 60, no. 3, 200. Western Australia. 27 December 1945. p. 40. Retrieved 1 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Sporting". The West Australian. 30 November 1885. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ City of Belmont (Heritage) Inventory 2012 page 3
- ^ West Australian Newspapers (1957), Partly demolished Belmont Railway Bridge looking towards Bayswater, retrieved 27 July 2017
- ^ "Perth Cup". horseracing.com.au. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
Media related to Ascot Racecourse, Perth at Wikimedia Commons