Saturday, August 15, 2009

Rosehill Gardens and the Sydney Turf Club

Rosehill Gardens Racecourse is located in Parramatta in Western Sydney. Rosehill is also the home of the Sydney Turf Club and is considered, together with Royal Randwick, as one of Sydney's premier racecourses. The Rosehill Gardens Racecourse was opened in 1885, but today's modern facilities are a long way from that original rough and ready track.

More than 60 race meetings a year are held at Rosehill, the best known of which is the Golden Slipper Festival during the Spring Racing Carnival. There are approximately 7000 members of the Sydney Turf Club, which employs 160 full-time staff and many more casual staff.

Rosehill also has extensive training facilities and attracts some of Australia's top trainers, including John Hawkes and Chris Walker. Around 350 horses are trained at the Rosehill course.

Rosehill hosts the richest day of racing in Australia's horse racing calendar. Originally run in 1957, the Golden Slipper Day is a day that can make fortunes for trainers and punters alike. On that day, which is the last day in the Autumn Festival, includes the world's richest race for two-year-olds, the $3.5 million Golden Slipper. The Golden Slipper was won in 2008 by Glen Boss riding Sebring. The race has been dominated by winners descended from Star Kingdom, including the first winner, Todman.

Also on Golden Slipper Day, The BMW (also known as the H.E. Tancred Stakes) is run, with prize money of around $2.2 million, making it Australia's richest weight-for-age staying race. In 2008, The BMW was won by Tuesday Joy ridden by Darren Beadman. Previous winners have included Ethereal and Makybe Diva.

The fully-grassed course at Rosehill has a circumference of 2,048 metres with a 408 metre straight. There are also sand, cinders and grass training tracks.

Visitors can watch and dine in style in the modern J.R.Fleming Stand, which overlooks the main straight. The Ascot Club on Level 4 is the most popular dining venue where packages include a reserved table. On Level 5 is the exclusive Baguette Suite, which accommodates just 150 guests and is fully self-contained with a served buffet lunch, a private bar, and tote.

Outside of race day, Rosehill Gardens Racecourse is also a major function venue. The spectacular Grand Pavilion offers spaces suitable for conferences, awards ceremonies, product launches, and exhibitions, among other notable events. With 5000 free car parking spaces and easy access from the CBD and Sydney's airport, Rosehill offers a sophisticated event location. There are also a number of hotels within walking distance of Rosehill Gardens.

Rosehill Gardens Racecourse is approximately a 20-minute drive to the west of the Sydney CBD via the M4 motorway. Race day trains run direct to the track and visitors can also travel by Rivercat to Parramatta from Circular Quay.

Whether you are a horse racing fanatic or have never been to the track, Rosehill Gardens Racecourse offers you a chance to experience the drama and excitement of this enduring sport. The modern facilities might be a long way from the original 19th century simple stand-and-sand track, but today's crowd still enjoys the basic thrill of horse versus horse and the race to the finish line.



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