Caulfield Racecourse, known locally as “The Heath” after the natural heathland that originally occupied the site, is situated in Caulfield East, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. The racecourse first became recognisable as such in 1876, under the auspices of the Victoria Amateur Turf Club, later the Melbourne Racing Club, and has since become one of the premier courses in the country. The highlight of the season at Caulfield is the three-day Caulfield Cup Carnival, in October, which culminates in the most valuable 2,400-metre (mile and a half) handicap in the world, the Caulfield Cup. The Caulfield Cup Carnival aside, Caulfield stages a further 20 feature racedays throughout the year.
Course Characteristics
The main course proper at Caulfield is a left-handed triangle, 2,080 metres (approximately a mile and a quarter) around with wide, sweeping bends and a home straight 367 metres (under two furlongs) long. The going at Caulfield is usually on the soft side of good and the course tends to favour horses that race on, or close to, the pace when the rail is moved 6 metres or more from the inside.
Track Facts
The inaugural running of the Caulfield Cup, in 1879, was won by Newminster at 5/1.
The last winner of the Caulfield Cup to be drawn higher than 13 was Let’s Elope in 1991.
The Caulfield Cup often provides a form guide to the Melbourne Cup. Eleven horses have completed the double and, in 1954, Rising Fast became the only horse in history to win the Caulfield Cup, the Melbourne Cup and the Cox Plate in the same season.
Caulfield racecourse was closed in 1995, and again in 2005, for major reconstruction work.