Randwick Racecourse and The Australian Jockey Club
Royal Randwick Racecourse in the Eastern Sydney suburbs lays claim to being the birthplace of horse racing in Australia. The first race meeting in Sydney was organized in 1810 and held in Hyde Park. By 1833, the land for what was to become Royal Randwick Racecourse had been set aside for horse racing. The first race at Randwick was a private match between two horses and was held in June 1833.
Over the years, the track deteriorated and became known as the "Sandy Track." Briefly, the site was closed in favour of Homebush, but was redeveloped, and by 1860, Randwick had been reopened with a new track and grandstand seating for 700. It's been said that 6,000 were to have attended the reopening of the course.
The committee, which was formed to supervise the development of the new course, was the forerunner of today's Australian Jockey Club that was created in 1842. For many years, the Australian Jockey Club also ran horse racing in NSW, but that responsibility was taken over by the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Board in 1997.
The famous Australian Jockey Club Derby was first run in 1861 and was won by Kyole. In 1863, the Randwick land was granted to the Australian Jockey Club for annual rent of a single black peppercorn. Apparently, NSW's government doesn't collect the rent!
The Queen Elizabeth II stand was opened in 1969; the capacity of the Royal Randwick Racecourse is now around 40,000. The Randwick racetrack has a circumference of 2,213 metres and a straight of 410 meters. This long course, with wide sweeping bends, gives all comers a chance at the winner's stand.
Royal Randwick Racecourse has a busy schedule with around 40 meetings each year. Held late March, the Australian Derby is a Group 1 thoroughbred race, known as the top-ranked event for 3-year-olds in Australia. Raced over 2400 meters, the Australian Derby has been won by some of the great horses, including Phar Lap, Tulloch, and Kingston Town.
Also in April is the AJC Sires Produce Stakes, a Group 1 race that is for 2-year olds and that is run over 1400 metres at set weights. This race is part of the "Triple Crown" for two-year olds, which include the Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) and the Champagne Stakes (1600m).
Apart from racing, the Royal Randwick Racecourse is used as a venue for everything from papal masses to rock concerts. The Rolling Stones played at Randwick in 1973, while in 2008, racing was stopped for several weeks when the course was used as the site for the final events for World Youth Day, where Pope Benedict XVI led a mass attended by over 300,000 worshipers. Royal Randwick has also been featured in several films, including Mission Impossible II.
Even if you are not organizing a Papal Mass, the Convention and Events Centre offers indoor and outdoor areas for your event or conference. The Randwick Pavilion can cater for up to 2,500 guests. There are also outdoor lawn and other spaces available for hire. The Royal Randwick Racecourse has parking for nearly 8,000 vehicles.
Royal Randwick Racecourse in the Eastern Sydney suburbs lays claim to being the birthplace of horse racing in Australia. The first race meeting in Sydney was organized in 1810 and held in Hyde Park. By 1833, the land for what was to become Royal Randwick Racecourse had been set aside for horse racing. The first race at Randwick was a private match between two horses and was held in June 1833.
Over the years, the track deteriorated and became known as the "Sandy Track." Briefly, the site was closed in favour of Homebush, but was redeveloped, and by 1860, Randwick had been reopened with a new track and grandstand seating for 700. It's been said that 6,000 were to have attended the reopening of the course.
The committee, which was formed to supervise the development of the new course, was the forerunner of today's Australian Jockey Club that was created in 1842. For many years, the Australian Jockey Club also ran horse racing in NSW, but that responsibility was taken over by the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Board in 1997.
The famous Australian Jockey Club Derby was first run in 1861 and was won by Kyole. In 1863, the Randwick land was granted to the Australian Jockey Club for annual rent of a single black peppercorn. Apparently, NSW's government doesn't collect the rent!
The Queen Elizabeth II stand was opened in 1969; the capacity of the Royal Randwick Racecourse is now around 40,000. The Randwick racetrack has a circumference of 2,213 metres and a straight of 410 meters. This long course, with wide sweeping bends, gives all comers a chance at the winner's stand.
Royal Randwick Racecourse has a busy schedule with around 40 meetings each year. Held late March, the Australian Derby is a Group 1 thoroughbred race, known as the top-ranked event for 3-year-olds in Australia. Raced over 2400 meters, the Australian Derby has been won by some of the great horses, including Phar Lap, Tulloch, and Kingston Town.
Also in April is the AJC Sires Produce Stakes, a Group 1 race that is for 2-year olds and that is run over 1400 metres at set weights. This race is part of the "Triple Crown" for two-year olds, which include the Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) and the Champagne Stakes (1600m).
Apart from racing, the Royal Randwick Racecourse is used as a venue for everything from papal masses to rock concerts. The Rolling Stones played at Randwick in 1973, while in 2008, racing was stopped for several weeks when the course was used as the site for the final events for World Youth Day, where Pope Benedict XVI led a mass attended by over 300,000 worshipers. Royal Randwick has also been featured in several films, including Mission Impossible II.
Even if you are not organizing a Papal Mass, the Convention and Events Centre offers indoor and outdoor areas for your event or conference. The Randwick Pavilion can cater for up to 2,500 guests. There are also outdoor lawn and other spaces available for hire. The Royal Randwick Racecourse has parking for nearly 8,000 vehicles.
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