Moonee Valley Racecourse

Moonee Valley Racecourse, Melbourne VICTORIA

Moonee Valley Racecourse is located at McPherson Street, Moonee Ponds VICTORIA.

Moonee Valley Racecourse had it's first meeting on 15 September 1883 at Feehan's Farm, the property of John F. Feehan. The land was purchased for the purpose of establishing a racetrack by William Samuel Cox , who was to become the first Secretary of the Moonee Valley Racing Club.

In 1922, in recognition of the founder of the club, the Moonee Valley Racing Club inaugurated, what was to become, Australasia 's weight-for-age horse-racing championship, the W.S. Cox Plate. Since 1999 the race has been included in the World Series of Racing.

Moonee Valley Racecourse has a circumference of 1,805 metres and the home straight is 173 metres long.  It is the shortest straight in Australia.  This alone makes Moonee Valley Racecourse a huge advantage for front runners and on pace runners turning into the straight.  It is definitely a specialist track. 

The Moonee Valley Racing Club has 33 day and nights meetings throughout the year held at Moonee Valley Racecourse.

Feature race meetings at Moonee Valley Racecourse include the Aami Vase, Alister Clark Stakes, Bill Stutt Stakes, Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes, McEwen Stakes, Inglis Mile, Manikato Stakes, Cox Plate and more....

• 1000 metres:  This starts is in a chute at the back of the course which cuts diagonally across the field to link up with the course proper at the 600 metre mark.  The runners then have to negotiate a sweeping turn into the straight run home.  Inside barriers are of slight importance.

• 1200 metres:   Starts in a chute at the back of the course and provides a straight run for 300 metres to the first of 2 turns.  Inside barriers are an advantage.

• 1600 metres:  Starts on the course proper and gives runners almost 400 metres to the first corner making barrier draws less important.

• 2040 metres:  Starts at the top of the home straight with a run of 200 metres before the first turn making wide barrier draws a great disadvantage.

• 2600 metres: This barrier starts from a chute near the 800 metres. There is a straight run of about 400 metres to the first turn. Inside barriers are a slight advantage

• 3000 metres:  Starts in a chute at the back of the course.  Barriers are of no importance due to the distance of the race.

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