FLEMINGTON RACECOURSE: TIPS, BETTING ADVICE & TRACK GUIDE

Flemington Racecourse has been in operation since March 1840 and is the main metropolitan racetrack for Victorian thoroughbred racing.

It is approximately a 20-minute drive from the Melbourne CBD which makes it an ideal location for racegoers to attend.

Home of the iconic Melbourne Cup (3200m), which is known as “the race that stops a nation,” Flemington Racecourse hosts the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival.

The Melbourne Cup Carnival is comprised of the following days:
• Derby Day – Saturday
• Melbourne Cup Day – Tuesday
• Oaks Day – Thursday
• Stakes Day – Saturday

Flemington Racecourse has a circumference of 2,312m with the home straight being 450m long. Sprint races held between 1000m and 1200m take place down the famous Flemington straight.

Races contested over the 1200m distance are known as taking place down “The Straight Six.”

BETTING ON FLEMINGTON RACES

Bookmakers Ladbrokes, BetEasy, Sportsbet, TAB and bet365 are the best places to bet on Flemington as they stream every race live online.

They also offer some of the best odds on Flemington racing throughout the year.

Or take advantage of the top 5 bookmaker deals below.

FLEMINGTON RACECOURSE LIVE STREAM

A couple of bookmakers offer livestreams of Flemington horse racing.
The first is Sportsbet who have a Watch Live icon that will appear on their website and app. In order to watch livestream of Flemington racing:

1. Go to sportsbet.com.au or their app
2. Click on ‘Racing’ in the left-hand menu
3. Select Flemington from the list of ‘Racing’ meetings
4. Click the play icon or ‘Watch Live’ icon for the specific Flemington race that you wish to view

The second bookmaker offering livestreaming of Flemington thoroughbred racing is the TAB. Here’s how you can watch Flemington horse racing with the TAB.

1. Go to tab.com.au or their app
2. Log in to your account or create a new one here
3. Click the ‘Video icon in the top right corner of the main menu
4. Sky Racing 1 coverage will be the default shown with options to view Sky Racing 2 or Sky Thoroughbred Central. Sky Racing 1 is the channel that will broadcast Flemington racing

FLEMINGTON RACECOURSE HISTORY

Dating back to 1840 when the first horse race was held at Flemington Racecourse, the prestigious racetrack has become the home of Victorian thoroughbred racing.

In November 2006, Flemington Racecourse was listed on the Australian National Heritage list.

Flemington Racecourse boasts a capacity of more than 120,000 spectators with multiple grandstands and state-of-the-art facilities.

Australia’s most iconic race, the Melbourne Cup was first held at Flemington in 1861 with 17 horses competing. Archer was victorious in the event and would return to make it back-to-back wins in 1862.

More than 250,000 racegoers attend the Melbourne Cup Carnival every year with more than 415,000 in attendance across the four days back in 2006.

NEW FLEMINGTON GRANDSTAND

The Club Stand opened in 2018 offering a superior event experience with excellent hospitality, entertainment and racing.

Some of the highlights of The Club Stand include The Roof Garden which has house bars, betting facilities, food outlets, a DJ booth and views of the Flemington racetrack and the city.

The Members’ Bar grants direct access to the Members’ Lawn and betting ring.

Elevated viewing podiums and outdoor seating across three levels are some of the highlights of the Seating Deck.

FLEMINGTON RACECOURSE GROUP 1 RACES

Flemington Racecourse hosts 14 Group 1 races each year highlighted by the Melbourne Cup (3200m) on the first Tuesday in November.

Other key Group 1 races are the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) which is the first Group 1 held at Flemington for the new racing season.

The Victoria Derby (2500m) for three-year-olds is another classic race along with the VRC Oaks (2500m) for three-year-old fillies.

During the autumn, the Australian Guineas (1600m) for three-year-olds is a highlight as is the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) down the Flemington straight and the Australian Cup (2000m) for middle distance and stayers.

FLEMINGTON RACECOURSE TRACK AND FACILITIES

Flemington racecourse boasts a large pear shaped course with a circumference of 2,400 metres. It also has a straight six-furlong home-straight known as ‘The Straight Six’ which hosts many of Australia’s most valuable sprint contests including the Darley Classic.

Racing at Flemington is run in an anticlockwise direction making it a left-handed track with a long, sweeping final turn before the straight.

The track itself underwent a number of improvements during the early 21st century, including a new $45 million grandstand which opened in 2000.

The building features a bronze statue of 1930 Melbourne Cup winner Phar Lap, a horse that captured the imagination of the Australian public following his rich exploits during a 51-race career.

A further $26 million was spent on renovations from 2000 until 2004, making Flemington one of the country’s grandest settings for hospitality.

It is not only the fine horse racing that dominates Flemington’s tradition, but the course’s liking for fashion and a social experience also sees the setting boast a wealthy past.

The emphasis on dressing with the best attire adds further lust to the course’s history. From Royal family to celebrities, Flemington has welcomed some of history’s leading profiles, further enhancing its claim as the greatest racecourse in Australia.

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