Moonee Valley Races
One of the most famous race courses in Australia is the Moonee Valley race track. This was discovered in the year 1883 by the legendary William Sam Cox who started his racing career right at the Moonee Valley and has since become one of the greatest race tracks that you can find in Australia. One of the reasons why the race track is famous is credited to the quality of the race track as well as the competitiveness of the Moonee Valley Races. The location itself is another reason. It is conveniently located few kilometres north of the city of Melbourne which makes it accessible to racing enthusiasts.
Features of Mooney Valley Racecourse
Mooney Valley is one of the few race tracks in Australia that feature harness and horse racing. Aside from this, the Moonee Valley racecourse also offers night races which are usually held on Friday nights. The race track attracts various race enthusiasts because of Australias famous races held in the track such as Australia Stakes, Manikato Stakes and the WS Cox Plate.
Regarding the race track, the track circumference measures about 1805 meters. The Moonee Valley race track is also the home of the prestigious Moonee Valley Racing Club. For those that are interested to visit the track, the exact location is Gate 1 McPherson St, Moonee Ponds Victoria 2039, Australia. They can be contacted at 1300 797 959.
Famous Moonee Valley Races
The first major race in Moonee Valley race track is the Manikato Stakes. This race is usually held during September. Huge prizes reaching up to almost five hundred thousand dollars is the reason why it attracts many racing enthusiasts all over Australia. The race was named after a famous racing horse Manikato, which won many of its races right in the Moonee Valley race track. This prestigious race is followed by the Group 1 Australia Stakes. This is another prestigious race usually held in every February of the year. Just like the Manikato race, prizes of the race reach up to half a million dollars.
The biggest of the Moonee Valley Races is the WS Cox Plate which is fondly called by many as the Race of Legends. This race offers a staggering amount of $3 million worth of prize money including $50,000 worth of trophies. The length of the race is 2040 m and usually held with the duration of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. Competitors all over the world including the local racers of Australia are attracted to compete because of the big prizes at stake.
When talking about the harness races, one of the biggest competitions is the Sew-Eurodrive Cup Carnival. This big race is usually held on consecutive Saturdays in the last month of the year, December. In this race, the price at stake reaches about $375,000 and more and attracting the best horses in the country. Another major harness race is the 3050 meters Hunter Cup which also gives away over $500,000 in prizes. With these famous and prestigious races, it cant be denied that Moonee Valley is one of the top race tracks in the whole Australia.
Getting to the Mooney Valley Races
One of the common inquiries asked about Moonee Valley Races is the manner of getting to the actual race track itself. For those that dont know how to get there here are some of the instructions that you must follow
If you prefer going there by train, Moonee Ponds Station is nearest the race track. It is located on the Craigieburn Line and you will have to walk to the race track for about 10 minutes using the Puckle Street. You can check the schedule to Metlink website for available schedules passing the Moonee Ponds Station.
If you prefer going to the race using a car, the track is in McPherson St within the Moonee Ponds area, located north of the Melbourne CBD. The track will usually take 20 minutes as you cruise about 8 km from Melbourne as you pass by Mt Alexander Roads and Flemington. During race days, race enthusiasts are advised to take public transportation because parking area is limited and cannot accommodate all the guests that will be viewing the races.
Contribution to tourism
Australia is fortunate to have the Moonee Valley races because there are many race enthusiasts in the country and they dont have to go to other race tracks in other countries just to watch or race. Famous racers and horses from the country have been famous while racing in Moonee Valley race track. The race track not only offers race enthusiasts to watch and enjoy the prestigious races but it also improved the flow of tourists in the country. Famous races such as the WS Cox Plate attract racers from different countries who come not only to compete and participate in the races but also to enjoy what the country has to offer to its guests.
