Not much bigger than a Roman coliseum..The Wayville Showgrounds.
How did they race top class horses around here?
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Not much bigger than a Roman coliseum..The Wayville Showgrounds.
How did they race top class horses around here?
Two more for the list.
Shepparton raced at the showgrounds for some years before they purchased their land at Kialla. The trotting track became a very big greyhound track before it too moved out of town to Kialla over a decade ago.
Up north in QLD, one of many tracks to have closed was Ipswich. A tiny track around the showgrounds there is now home to a very busy dog racing facility.
Was thinking of Shepparton small track at showgrounds also in Qld Maryborough can see it from Bruce higway gets used for equestian events now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Amlin
Hawksbury used to race till mid 80's,inside the gallop track right handed
Looks like the remnants of the trotting track inside the gallops track are still visible..just .
Looks like the remnants of the trotting track inside the gallops track are still visible..just .
Not specifically a ghost track - but for a 10-year period from the early 1970's this patch of land was a huge talking point in Victorian trotting.
And it still sits idle - but surrounded by thousands of residences, businesses etc.
Keysborough Kyle?
Yes
A lot of questions there. Was the ultimate answer rain belt?
I think possibly the board of the time could not comprehend the possibility of such a facility being located on "that" side of town.
Too much individual influence rather than the overall good of the industry as to whether Keysborough (or Keilor) could have set the sport up Melton style decades earlier.
At least it would have been paid off by now. And they lost money on the sale of the land anyway!
The Bega track in southern NSW came alive last Saturday night with Show trotting on the 400 metre main arena.
Here is a video the Bega Show crew took of the night
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6ubrOkJqV4
Is the Grandstand now at the Junction Oval at St Kilda ?
Although the racecourse at Elsternwick Park did not survive for long, it did hold a unique place in Melbourne’s sporting history as Victoria’s first track dedicated to trotting.
The Australian Trotting Association (later changed to the Victorian Trotting Club) applied in 1881 to Brighton Council for the use of the land at Elsternwick Park, then largely swampland and with little resemblance to the well-preened parklands of today.
The Association was in something of a race with the Australian Trotting Club to establish the first track for trotting, the latter having purchased land in Northcote, the latter’s aims target scuttled when the Railways Department compulsorily acquire their land for part of a planned (but never built) line from Spencer Street to Heidelberg.
The application for the land was initially refused by the Council as they did not believe they had the authority, but later granted after the intervention of the Minister for Lands.
This is believed to have been the first more-or-less permanent trotting track in Australia, but squabbles over the rights and wrong of the park being used in part for racing continued for another decade, the Trotting Club being later denied use of the track.
The matter was finally put to the vote of Brighton ratepayers in September, 1893, the usually conservative district voting nearly four to one in favour of parts of the Park being leased as a racecourse.
After the meetings were abandoned, the Elsternwick Park grandstand was taken down and re-erected at the St. Kilda Cricket Ground (Junction Oval).
Just where in today’s complex the racecourse was situated is uncertain - the cricket ground in the northern section was in use at the time and the likelihood is that the track was the site of today’s golf links.
The first meeting, then known as American trotting was held at Flemington in the early 1860's. Trotting then started at Bocasio Park in Brighton then moved to Elsternwick Park, though there never more than two trots on a programme that included hurdle races, steeplechases and flat races. Trotting events were run at Kensington, the first track owned by the Cox family before they moved to Moonee Valley, and later a short stint at Maribyrnong.
Thanks Kyle,Quote:
Originally Posted by Amlin
not sure how I haven't seen this until now but that clip from the show race is bloody GOLD mate, 4 laps to the mile...brought back lots of fun memories, this silly game we play is more than fast mile rates on fast tracks, its about people and their horses having fun.. and that clip sure reminded me what this game is really about,
thanks again,
Dan
Speaking of ghost tracks, the biggest of all in Victoria, and perhaps it's biggest moment - which occurred 30 years ago today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TNmWtXVr30
It's amazing....just to see how many were there, and compare it to Melton on Saturday night.
Great run in the race from Game Oro !
Richmond, just a short distance from the CBD in Melbourne was the home of trotting early in the 1900s.
Tram to the gate, or walk from the neighborhood.
And the crowd came...
One of the three Ballarat (Vic) tracks ..Miners Racecourse first raced in 1861
Dummy ( Grattan Bells from Florrie C) one of three Bendigo Cup winners in 1924 wins under saddle ridden by Bill Forthington from Horsham, at the Ballarat Miners racecourse.
In the Richmond photo you can see the piano factory in the background which became the soup factory, followed by the television factory, as GTV9. So audiences gathered for one form of entertainment or another in that area for decades!
Inglewood, Victoria
One & quarter miles
Opened early 1870's. Trotting Club operated from 1922 to 1929
Approximately where the current golf course is situated.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/place...30a08f10?hl=en
Inglewood is the current home to former Showgrounds regulars Kevin Innes and Bob Birthisel.
Last abode of the late Charlton champ Ian McCallum.
The fields for Inglewood April 14, 1923
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/arti...&searchLimits=
With Land Star, winner of 5 races at Richmond ( Melbourrne) off 195 yards behind !
The former Woodend Racecourse in central Victoria. I was in town there on Monday so went by and took some pictures. The facility is now a Recreation Reserve with several different users including the Pony Club who look as though they operate from what is left of the course.
As well as the grandstand and some out buildings a Stewards tower and swab box still exist. Apparently across the back there is a walking track along the old back straight.
https://scontent-hkg3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...88&oe=560C5C46
https://scontent-hkg3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...7d&oe=55C997E1
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...354ac125454629
https://scontent-hkg3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...17&oe=55C3FA4E
https://scontent-hkg3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...fa&oe=5606375Ehttps://scontent-hkg3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...c7&oe=560082F9
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...320683ee00137a
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.n...5d63e7856b27dd
Good stuff Kyle. No oval? Would have thought an undercover stand like that would have some appeal to a footy team. Maybe Woodend has a swisho footy club or the pony club beat them to it
The footy oval I think is further down (built over what might have been the home turn). An indoor pavilion (basketball?) is also built "over" the track
Kyle and Kevin
Here's the Woodend complex via Google Earth;
https://www.google.com.au/maps/place...30a0d220?hl=en
A great view, thanks Noel
Here's an intersting Ghost Trotting Track...the WACA.
Three months after signing a lease agreement the WATA began racing on the WACA Ground track,
on 28th June 1913 in front of a crowd of 1200 people who put 300 pounds through the on-course
totalisator. The Association's timekeepers D C Braham and W McNamara had the idea of trotting underlights to avoid clashes with gallop' meetings.
On 2nd January 1914 a quote of 379 pounds, from Leo Walton's Electrical Wiring Company, was
accepted for the installation of lights at the WACA track. Australia's first complete meeting under lights
was held at the WACA on 24th January 1914 with the running of five races. The first event was won by Alfred Fox driving Battler 11.
At this time there was a proliferation of privately owned race-tracks across the suburbs of Perth and both the WA Trotting Association and WA Turf Club were at loggerheads with these “unregistered” clubs racing at venues such as Goodwood, Bicton and Canning Park.
On 23rd April 1914 James Brennan reported to the WATA Committee that the WA Cricket Association
was prepared to sell 17 acres of land on the northern side of their ground, which became Brennan Park, now Gloucester Park.
While reading the microfiche files of the Bendigo Advertiser from 1924 ( inspired by John Peck to search out the 4 ..YES FOUR Bendigo Trotting Cups of 1924),
I noted that trotting and pacing races were held at the following tracks.
Many were on town racecourses, on the same program as the gallops, but Mystic Park and Corop held all trotting meetings.
Plenty of places to race, but the travel must have been challenging !
They raced at:
Myer's Flat, Corop, Mystic Park, Campbell's Creek, Bungaree, Cohuna, Raywood, Neilborough, Boort, Inglewood, Koondrook, Marong, Goornong, Korong Vale as well as the 4 meetings at the Epsom Racecourse held by the Bendigo Trotting Club.
There were 6 Bendigo Cups at Epsom
Research in the files of country newspapers by Harness Racing Historian John Peck, and listed on
http://www.classicfamilies.net/cf/Cl...px?RaceID=4367 has revealed that there were six Bendigo Trotting Cups in the 1920s and early 1930's raced on the turf at the Bendigo Jockey Club's' Epsom racecourse.
The honour roll of Bendigo Cups, conducted on the turf at Epsom, before the building of Lord's Raceway reads:
1. 1924 Kinnie Bazil
2. 1924 Grand Voyage
3. 1924 Queen Pirate
4. 1924 Dummy (read the report in the Argus newspaper of the day: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/2086478
5. 1929 First Cast
6. 1932 Le Wilkes
For more, follow this link to the Bendigo Harness Racing Club website's History page: http://www.bhrc.com.au/history-of-bhrc.html
The result ot the First Bendigo Cup:
BENDIGO CUP – 100 pounds – One mile & three furlongs
TH Ford’s KINNIE BAZIL, 15yds (W Reidell) 1
General Ribbonwood, 85yds (M Harrison) 2
Landstar, 55yds (J Hawkins) 3
Other: inverell, 20yds (A Butcher)
Margins: 8yds X one yd time: 3m 23.4s (WR 2m 27s)
8 trainers to be congratulated for keeping the Showies going in Qld with 3 races of 6 starters today
http://www.harness.org.au/index.cfm?p=f&id=/
I bet Dan wishes he was going around
The old Gower Park track features late in this piece of footage that I received early this week. We think it may also be Don Dove's old track at Heatherton in the early part hosting a Gymkhana. The film moves quickly but would be interested to hear from anyone who can identify some of the people in it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImTq1yXqTwE
Thanks to John Peck who emailed me a list of races that Robert and Alexander Hunter ( of Hunter House Bendigo, Burnewang Park at Hunter, Hunter Cup, and Northwood Park fame) won..
Recently upgraded to Legend Status, Globe Derby raced at Seymour and Tongala...and didn't win !
Altough coming off 240 behind is a bit of an ask.
SEYMOUR 04-04-1924
TROT – 50 pounds – Nine furlongs
PRINCIPAL JACK, 60yds (G Girling) 1
Globe Derby, 230yds (AG Hunter) 2
John Bazil, 20yds (W Raftery) 3
Other: Home Rule (70yds)
Margins: One lgth X 1 1/2lgths Time: 2m 42.2s
TONGALA TC 19-02-1925
FLYING – 50 pounds – One mile
BAZIL BELLS, scr (W Riedell) 1
Prince Bazil, 24yds (Hueston) 2
Globe Derby, 120yds (AG Hunter) 3
Others: Eri Queen (scr), Dodger Direct (24yds), Arab Style (24yds)
Margins: 10yds X 12yds Time: 2m 25 1/2s
TRIAL (1dt Div) – 35 pounds – Nine furlongs
LA RIBBONETTE, 55yds (A Simpson) 1
Direct Wood, 5yds (AG Hunter) 2
May Huon, 5yds (J Devlin) 3
Others: Queer Bells (scr), Delavans Proof (scr), Prince Nutwood (scr), Mary Siam (scr), Junee (5yds), Hazel (5yds), Bill Bazil (10yds)
Margins: 8yds X 30yds Time: 3min
Attachment 528
Some type of horse Globe Derby, 200 odd metres start is a fair handicap.
Goornong, 30 km north of Bendigo once had a race-track
Legendary trotter Grand Voyage (38 wins) won there in 1924
GOORNONG 26-04-1924
TROT – 20 pounds – One & quarter miles
GRAND VOYAGE, 115yds (P Glasheen) 1
Miss Borneo, 35yds (H Toomer0 2
Harry Whips, 45yds (????) 3
Others: Honest Ruby (15yds)
Margins: Half lgth X 50yds
Its been a while. but more ghost tracks emerge as Classic Families continues to gather information.
The raced at Morwell in Victoria's Latrobe Valley.
http://www.classicfamilies.net/CF/Cl...px?RaceID=7440
Bringing back Moonee Valley I hear.... $150m plans and to take 10 years
Are you teasing Katie?
I just saw this linked on Twitter - written back in October. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/su...ff7b2375ca5f2cQuote:
Originally Posted by Messenger
oh goddamit no. It's just for stupid gallops. SORRY.
ugh
BUT Garrick Knight did say and I quote, "Am I hearing this right? High-level discussions are taking place that will see harness racing return to Moonee Valley on Friday nights?"
so same same but missed it by a mile. Silly Katie.
out of the Mallee dust
Congrats to the people of Birchip
Congrats to Luke H
Big congrats to Neil "Pecker" McCallum, a driving treble. Especially significant, Macca, a Mallee legend, would have been looking down.
And former local Newsagent Gary Donaldson won the Mallee Bull Cup with the dermined Regal Ambition.
Great stuff !