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Flemington Race Track: The Home of the Melbourne Cup!
 Flemington Race Track is a horse race track in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Flemington Race Track is most famous for its hosting of Australia 's richest horse race - the Melbourne Cup - as well as the pageantry surrounding the Spring Racing Carnivals.
With an area of 1.27 square kilometers, Flemington Race Track is situated on low alluvial flats, next to the Maribyrnong River. Flemington Race Track is bounded by Epsom Rd, Smithfield Rd and the Maribyrnong River.
Flemington Race Track hosts several important stakes racing events each year. Among them are:
- VRC Derby
- VRC Oaks
- MacKinnon Stakes
- Newmarket Handicap
- Australian Cup
- Lightning Stakes
Flemington Race Track was declared a National Heritage Site for Australia in 2006. It thus joined the likes of the Sydney Opera House and Ayers Rock in being given that distinction.
Flemington Race Track achieved the biggest ever attendance on VRC Derby Day in 2006 when 129,089 people came to watch.
Flemington Race Track Description
Flemington Race Track is somewhat shaped like a pear, as it has sweeping turns and long straight. It has a six-furlong race track that has a circumference of 2,312 metres and a final straight of 450 metres.
Races at Flemington Race Track are run in an anti-clockwise direction.
Flemington Race Track has a crowd capacity of over 120,000 and contains three grandstands. The race track has undergone a facelift in recent years, with the opening of the $45 million grandstand in 2000 . The Hill Stand, built in 1977, houses the artist Harold Freedman 's seven panel mural which traces the History of Racing.
Flemington Race Track History
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In March 1840, horse racing was staged on the banks of the Maribyrnong River, which is the general area on which the present-day Flemington Race Track now stands.
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Flemington Race Track was set up on land owned by Robert Fleming and the property was used at the time for farming cattle and sheep and running a butchery. According to sources, the property became known as Fleming Town, and this soon attached to the race track on it.
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In 1848, the Victoria Turf Club leased the race track.
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In 1861, the first Melbourne Cup was run and it attracted 4,000 spectators.
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In 1864, the Victoria Turf Club merged with the Victoria Jockey Club to form the Victoria Racing Club.
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In 1871, the Victoria Racing Club Act was passed, and thus gave the VRC legal control over Flemington Race Track.
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In 1925, the Members Grandstand was built.
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In 1977, the Hill Stand replaced the old Members Grandstand.
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In 2000, the new Grandstand at Flemington Race Track was opened.
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In 2006, Flemington Race Track was declared a National Heritage Site of Australia.
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