Thoroughbred Park is considered the home of Canberra racing and has been the major racecourse in the ACT since its’ inception in 1921.
Following a two-stage renovation for both turf and synthetic racing in 2007, Thoroughbred Park is utilized regularly throughout the calendar year, with approximately 25 meetings scheduled between both circuits.
While upgrading the tracks for better racing, the Canberra racecourse facilities also received a significant overhaul, with the Training Centre and Equine Welfare amenities among the upgrades.
Canberra is the home of many feature races on the calendar, however, none more important than the Group 3 Black Opal Stakes (1200m) for the two-year-olds on the second Sunday of March every year.
It’s considered one of the final options for trainers to gain their respective runners’ entry for the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) later in the Autumn, not to mention boasting a significant prize of $275,000 for the winning connections.
Located 15 minutes from the city centre, Thoroughbred Park is a terrific spot for functions both business and pleasure, with a designated Functions Department ready to offer you everything you need for any given event – including both indoor and outdoor settings with versatile spaces.
Canberra horse racing news
With 25 meetings scheduled at Canberra rack track throughout the year, the team at HorseBetting.com.au will try to keep our loyal readers up to date on all the latest racing news from Thoroughbred Park and the surrounding areas. Here is the latest Canberra racing news:
Canberra horse racing tips
Our expert tipsters will be doing their best to find you all the best bets, value bets and quaddie numbers at Canberra races – especially during the Canberra Cup Carnival at the beginning of March, with plenty of action taking place during the Autumn. Check out all the latest Canberra racing tips here:
Canberra racecourse address & how to travel there
Thoroughbred Park Racecourse is located at 1 Randwick Rd, Lyneham ACT 2602 and is approximately 280km from the Sydney CBD (or 15 minutes from the Canberra CBD).
Located to the south-west of Sydney, Canberra Racecourse draws in plenty of in-person interest from both locals and Sydneysiders, especially during the major carnivals during the Autumn months.
It’s approximately a three hour and eight minute drive from the Syndey CBD heading south-west along the Federal Highway/Remembrance Drive. Simple follow the signs exiting onto Flemington Rd before making your way to your destination on Randwick Rd.
If you’d rather leave your vehicle at home, there are plenty of public transport options in Canberra, including trains and buses.
The scenario is simpler for locals, with taxis, uber and buses set to take you directly to your required destination, or if you’d prefer, drive yourself to the course, with plenty parking available at the entrance of the track.
Canberra race track dimensioins and starting points
The Thoroughbred Park Racecourse is run in the clockwise direction, with a circumference of 1815m and a home straight of 400m, with it considered one of the fairest tracks in the region.
The main Canberra track has many starting positions from the chute – including the 1000m (north-east side), 1200m (north side) and 1600m (west side). Meanwhile, the remaining starting positions usually disengage from the course proper.
The inner-course or synthetic circuit has no chute positions with every race run in the clockwise direction.
Major races held at Canberra racecourse
Black Opal Stakes Day is considered the biggest day of the calendar at Canberra, with four massive Listed races scheduled.
The Group 3 Black Opal Stakes (1200m) attracts contenders from all the major stables, with the honour roll containing names such as James Cummings, taking out back-to-back editions with Encryption (2018) and Pin Sec (2019), or Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou-trained superstar Trapeze Artist claiming victory in 2017 edition.
In recent years, the Listed Canberra Cup (2000m) has produced Group 1 quality later in the campaign, with the Bjorn Baker-trained Arapaho (2023) going on to claim the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) in the same year. Other future Group 1 winners include – Mugatoo (2020) and Samadoubt (2019), making the Canberra Cup a genuine target for connections.
The Listed National Sprint (1400m) and Listed Canberra Guineas (1400m) are also run on the same day, making it an outstanding afternoon of racing.
How to bet on the Canberra races
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Australia’s online betting sites provide the best options for punters placing their wagers on Canberra races and horse racing across the nation.
Online bookmakers give punters all the best racing promotional offers, form analysis, and best available prices for any given runner, including those at Canberra races.
Neds (Neds Review), Play Up (Play Up Review), and Picklebet (Picklebet Review) are just some of the best available options, with most betting apps by these companies available on Android and iOS smartphones.
If you’d rather bet on-course, then make sure you check out the betting ring at Canberra Racecourse, with all your local bookies likely to be represented to go along with regular TAB facilities.
