Melbourne Racing Club

Melbourne Racing Club

Melbourne Racing Club is the home of Caulfield Racecourse and the Caulfield Cup, Ladbrokes Park (Sandown) and Mornington Racecourse.

The Melbourne Racing Club conducts race meetings annually across its 3 racing centres - Caulfield, Sandown and Mornington.

The first chapter of the VATC story was written in 1875 - at 7pm on Wednesday October 13 to be precise - when six thoroughbred enthusiasts assembled at Craig's Hotel in the township of Ballarat, situated just over 100 kilometres west of Melbourne.

The purpose of the meeting - involving Ballarat Turf Club Secretary E.C. Moore, Norman Wilson, his brother Hector, Herbert Power, A.E. French and F.D. McLeod - was to discuss the idea of establishing a racing club to provide opportunities for the swelling number of amateur riders who were keen for competition.

E.C. Moore and Norman Wilson had corresponded regularly by letter during 1875 and the duo were driving force behind the formation of the new Club. The latter was a prominent 26-year-old landowner, a prototype of what many saw as all that was best (or worst) in the character and pursuits of the squatters, a class who occupied large tracts of land in rural Victoria.

When the convivial gathering at Craig's Hotel concluded eight hours after its commencement the previous evening, those founding fathers had agreed on the framework for the establishment of the Victoria Amateur Turf Club.

On August 1st 2010, the Melbourne Racing Club merged with the Mornington Racing Club.




❊ Address ❊


 ⊜  Station St Caulfield East 3145 View Map
 ✆ Telephone: +61 3 9257 7200
Station StCaulfield EastVictoria+61 3 9257 7200




❊ Web Links ❊


Melbourne Racing Club 

❊ Also See.. ❊


Ladbrokes Park | Sandown Racecourse


Caulfield Racecourse


Mornington Racecourse



Disclaimer: Check with the venue (web links) before making plans, travelling or buying tickets.

Accessibility: Contact the venue for accessibility information.





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Melbourne Racing Club