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The Parramatta Trots would have more likely to been held at the old Granville Showground, which is now used as the site of the Sydney Speedway.
The site on which the Westmead Hospital was built on, used to be the old Westmead Speedway, which stopped racing around 1968.
I thought that they resumed the Parramatta showground for the hospital at Westmead.
Found this photo in the "Remember When" thread post 73.
Where is Trish? I think she could answer this one.
http://www.harnessracingforum.com/at...8&d=1413103878
We are missing Trish, wishing you good health Trish
My apologies for the wrong call. I had no idea that the track at Westmead was used for harness racing after the demise of the winter speedway there.
The old Westmead track was around 800 yards in length and as at the late 1960s had no lights and basic facilities.
No apologies needed Steve. The years catch us out at times. :D:D:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Beltane
Looks like Colac (Vic) were racing in 1949 at the Colac Showgrounds
https://www.google.com.au/maps/place...51784ca8?hl=en
The stewards got a rap over the knuckles.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...g=6013,5684087
Bill Shinn drove Black Betel to an Australian mile record in 1931 on the Colac Showgrounds track
http://www.harness.org.au/hra/annual...s_mileallp.htm
Saw Roseland Count win The Carousel final at Parramatta in 1973 driven by Eddie Sims.Granville Showgrounds were taken over by the Speedway although we tried sharing it as a training track for quite a few years.The running rail had to be taken down for the speedway and then put back for the horses to train through the week.That was never going to work!Still managed to train my first H.P.winner from Granville.Roseland Count pulled off one of the biggest plunges in S.A. when Eddie snuck him over there under Tom Mahar's name.Backed in 8's to evens.
Leongatha in Gippsland raced at the Leongatha Showgrounds
https://www.google.com/maps/place/38...0:0x0?hl=en-US
The St Patricks meeting on April 23, 1949 featured 6 races each with a purse of 35 pounds , with Ben Coram Snr (of Dan's Son and Miraculous fame) winning two with Clever June and Clever Jim.
The last race was the Farewell Handicap. Was that the last race ever at Leongatha?
Looking closer at the Leongatha pic - excuse the red marks but I put them there to show where you can still faintly see the track. Around 15 years ago a strategic plan for the reserve suggested "removal of the trotting track" to aid with improving the surface quality and drainage of the oval/arena.
The heritage listed stand was built in around 1922 so obviously would have been used for the trots.
Leongatha were allocated meets during the 1950/1951 season but unsure without checking my books if they ran them. They seemed to have fizzled out somewhere around here after only a couple of seasons, maybe the club ran out of funds.
Nearby Korumburra held gymkhana's on a track around their Showgrounds and had their own Light Harness Club in the early 1970's. The odd hobby trainer still operated over their up until probably 10 years ago. Perhaps one of the best known trotting horsemen from the region was Wonthaggi based Maurie Hill, who later switched to racehorses and had the top jumper Venite.
The Leongatha track was smaller than the Melbourne Showgrounds at only 2 furlongs 127 and a bit yards. The oval now has very good quality lights on it for night footy - pity the track did not remain in full form as it could have been reused possibly.
I am planning to head across to their Historical Society/Museum to see what they might have on file.
I notice in 1949 a local horseman was given life by the TCB for his behaviour at a Leongatha race meeting. He could not give stewards a satisfactory explanation for his "condition" at the meeting. The great George Gath also drove at Leongatha.
Bega is another venue in Southern NSW where trots were held at the Showgrounds until the early 1970's. They successfully ran exhibition races on the 400 metre track at the Bega Show there a couple of years ago and are seeking entries for races at the Bega Show this weekend.
Pictures show the track in 1966 and the most recent "show trots"
Great picture comparison Kyle. Does that pavilion still exist?
The Leongatha Showgrounds grandstand is of local historic and aesthetic significance to South Gippsland Shire.
Historically, it is the oldest extant grandstand in the Shire and demonstrates the importance of the showgrounds to the local agricultural and sporting community. (AHC criteria - A.4 and D.2)
Aesthetically, the grandstand enhances the appearance of the Leongatha Showgrounds and Recreation reserve. It is also of interest as an example of the work of locally important architect, T.E. Molloy. (AHC criterion - E.1)
Technically, it is of interest as one of the first and most substantial buildings in the Shire to be constructed from locally made bricks manufactured at Koonwarra.
Thanks Noel and another great pic
Really enjoying this thread. Nice work folks.
This is really good fun. Let's try Kerang.
There were quite a lot of good horses come from around Kerang in Vic: The Pays ( Skulduggery) , Robinsons (Bold Apepa Smart Lulu and Chapel Elect), Marshalls and Coulters (Janes Choice).
Quambatook ( New Derby and New Oro) and Pyramid Hill (Bendigold and Moonies Strike) aren't far away.
There were trials at the Kerang trotting track ( inside the racecourse ) and they raced there as well.. not sure of last race meeting.
Here's the trotting track inside the galloping track.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/place...30a09010?hl=en
K preston traied at Kerang i remember may have moved to Adelaide after thatQuote:
Originally Posted by Adaptor
Only a small track at Kerang - another one that started up in the early 50s perhaps. I have called gallops there and took some photos but cannot find them. At that time (2008) the track had pegs installed.
According to Harnesslink last official trials were run there in 2003 - perhaps club trials have been held since then. I recall typing their trials results at Harness Racing Weekly around this time!
I was amazed how many pubs there are in Kerang too by the way...
i took this video of ROCKLEA's last race meeting in 2009 if anyone's interested
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2XyBOIsxTE
James ,
That's a good one. Looks like Rocklea was a very small track. What was the circumference?
What has been done with the site?
many many great days at ROCKLEA ...the place was always packed & had quite a few bookies there..everyone would go there to enjoy a great days racing & bet on the gallops with the bookies.Sad thing is it still sitting there as it was back in 2009..it was 545m & raced 52 weeks of the year..& introduced a staggering amount of people into the sport
They raced at Woodend.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/place...30a0d220?hl=en
The remnants can be seen here of both the gallop and trotting tracks.. The Woodend Cup (gallops) has been held at Kyneton for some years.
One of the Abraham brothers, either Harry or Frank of Meadowbrook Stud fame (Gyro, Convivial etc) was President of the Woodend Trotting Club.
Here are 2 races ( from the results compiled by John Peck) with one time leading Australian sire Noble Scott winning at 2 consecutive meetings
WOODEND TC 31-12-1945
DISTANCE (2:23) – 45 pounds – One & quarter miles
H & F Abrahams bh NOBLE SCOTT, scr (R Males) 1
Jim Dalla, scr 2
Royal Clay, scr 3
Others: Great Dalla (scr), Flower Derby (scr), Bonnie Pedro (scr), Lucky Man (scr), Sir Dalla (36yds), Admiral Wilkes (60yds)
Margins: 2yds X 10yds Time: 2m 52 1/4s
WOODEND TC 01-01-1946
DISTANCE (2:27) – 45 pounds – One & half miles
H & F Abrahams bh NOBLE SCOTT, scr (R Males) 1
Great Dalla, scr 2
Native McGregor, scr 3
Others: Billy Ruhon (scr), Bonnie pedro (scr), Royal Clay (scr), Lucky Man (scr), High Lawn (scr), Northern Miss (scr), Sir Dalla (12yds), Dons Joy (12yds), Senor Wilbur (24yds), Admiral Wilkes (36yds)
Margins: 2yds X 8yds Time: 3m 40 1/2s
Names from the past Great Dalla was Clarrie Long a great guy who loved to help young people get into sport Ken Pococks father in law
Pretty sure the house can you see from the main road is one of the original houses. But the property mostly subdivided. Right on the edge of Riddells Creek township now. Few roads there named after the horses. Gyro Close, Argent (Gyros mum I think) Close and also Meadowbrook Way.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adaptor
Woodend served as an important venue for trotting during WWII - before the government took control of the sport Woodend was one of the few trotting tracks in Victoria to operate.
Trotting ceased there I believe in the early 1950s according to this article from The Argus from '52.
Gallops racing wound up there in 1982.
Another track that was among the pioneers in Victoria but is no longer - Healesville
The overhead shot appears to show an outline of a track - but I would have thought if the old track there was a half mile or so it would have been bigger, as the gallops track is only around 1400 metres in circumference.
Opened in 1948 and closed in 1972 and moved to nearby Yarra Glen. Birthplace of the famous "Melbourne Cup Day trots".
That would have to be something else Kyle. I once had the chance/wanted to buy a 7 acre triangle that finished roughly where the C726 is on the map.
I cannot get over how good the willow plantation looks - I was always told they were to be future cricket bats
For those on or near the Central Coast of NSW may recall the Gosford Trotting track which was used in the 90's as a training track for a few locals, not sure whatever happened to it.
Gosford raced on a track around the outside of the dog track. When the dog track was rebuilt and converted to sand it was enlarged and took over the trotting track. Perhaps 15 years ago?
22-25 years ago shut down just as I got my licence the speedway took over first then the greyhounds took over the lot and built the new trackQuote:
Originally Posted by Amlin
A recent photo of the Gosford facility. The harness track would not have been very big by the looks
This old photo of the Gosford track shows it may have been bigger than I imagined.
525 metres around if i remember correctQuote:
Originally Posted by Amlin
Bulli - NSW. They now race at Menangle. The track at Bulli was narrow and small and many a horse came a cropper on that home turn as this YouTube clip shows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iCyE_6KnhY
Also here is a link to a local newspaper story when they club decided to shift away from their home venue.
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/s...rots-at-bulli/
That's some video! It certainly was a tight track. The running rail was a real hazard...with no-where to go.
I imagine that Ray Wisby and Kevin Robertson would have dominated here.
bit bigger than that Dave, Newcastle was 550 metres and Maitland 603metres and both were smaller than Gosford, I think it was not much under 700...658 rings a bell.
Did you drive on these tracks as a young fella Dan??
Yeah sounds better I watched a video of one of dads wins there today 2600 or 2700 start in back straight and 4 laps can't get exact distance as old fuzzy video but it was great listening to Ray conroy call the raceQuote:
Originally Posted by Danno
There was rumours just before it shut down of building a chute for mobilise starts and widening the track but the Showgrounds trust wouldn' allow
Gosford had mobile races during the 1960 from memory (may have had them later than that but memory is dim). The arms of the mobile almost hit the light towers on the outside of the track as the track was not wide enough. This was what finished mobile races at the track
Dates may not be exact, please don't hold me to them.
Harking back to the Leongatha track, in my time in the late 60's early seventies, it's main use was for the cyclists races. There wasn't a lot of depth in the cyclists ranks and the leading exponents would start off Walla Walla type handicaps. I well remember having to wait for the field to pass before retrieving the ball when the opposition hit one for four. One of the areas greatest batsman Ken Boromeo later trained and drove quite a few winners, but I don't know if the used the Leongatha track
Yes Rich, they were very small tracks by todays standards but we were still racing at the shows on tracks around footy fields and approximatley 400 metres circumference, mind you we weren't runiing 2.00 miles, we were running 2.18 on the show tracks...it just felt like you were low flying.Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard prior
The smallest track I drove at registered meetings was Tamworth, it was 500 YARDS around, ( approx 450 metres) and had a massive downhill around the turn out of the home straight, the drop was something like 17 feet, the track today has a gigantic concrete retaining wall in that area allowing the track to be much more level, but man that drop on the turn years ago used to bring a lot of people and horses undone!