Ascot Racecourse (Western Australia)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ascot Racecourse, Perth
Ascot Racecourse, Perth.jpg
Ascot grandstand
LocationAscot, Western Australia
Coordinates31°56′6″S 115°55′30″E / 31.93500°S 115.92500°E / -31.93500; 115.92500Coordinates: 31°56′6″S 115°55′30″E / 31.93500°S 115.92500°E / -31.93500; 115.92500
Operated byPerth Racing
Date openedMarch 1848 (1848-03)
Screened onSeven Network
Race typeFlat
Course typeTri-oval
Notable races
Official website

Ascot Racecourse is the major racecourse in Perth, Western Australia, situated approximately 8 kilometres east of the Perth central business district, with the headquarters of the Perth Racing positioned directly opposite.

It is regarded as the "grand old lady" of Australian racecourses.[1] It has a 2 km (9.94-furlong) track with modern, well drained turf, and a 300-metre inclining straight regarded by experts[who?] as the most severe test of stayers in Australia.

History[]

In 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]

The inaugural Perth Cup was held in 1887.[3]

In 1885 a railway was constructed to the northern side of Swan River opposite the racecourse.[4] The railway was extended across the river to the racecourse in 1897.[5] The railway and station was removed in 1957.[6]

Races[]

The 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[]

  • hcp - handicap
  • sw - set weights
  • wfa - weight for age

Culture[]

The Perth Cup is Perth's feature event on the racing calendar held annually either on New Year's Day or a nearby Saturday.[7]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Ascot
  2. ^ City of Belmont (Heritage) Inventory 2012 page 3
  3. ^ "A history of Ascot" (PDF). City of Belmont. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Sporting". The West Australian. 30 November 1885. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  5. ^ City of Belmont (Heritage) Inventory 2012 page 3
  6. ^ West Australian Newspapers (1957), Partly demolished Belmont Railway Bridge looking towards Bayswater, retrieved 27 July 2017
  7. ^ "Perth Cup". horseracing.com.au. Retrieved 17 May 2015.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""