Mornington Races

Introduction

Mornington Racecourse has been voted the number one country racecourse in Victoria in three differing circumstances, and for good reason…

The Peninsula warm, and 45-minute drive from the heart of Melbourne, the Mornington Races are the premiere destination for thoroughbred races.

The site was opened in 1899, with their first meeting hosted in 1911.

Over the year, the Mornington Racing Club hosts 20 race meetings, with upwards of $2.3 million in prize money for the season.

This prize money draws in a slew of professional horses, trainers, and jockeys in Australia.

The most important event for the Mornington Races is the Mornington Cup, run in February every year.

The Mornington Races are also famous for their unusual shape – a figure-8 chase circuit.

If you’re wanting to take out a win here, you’re going to need a lot of local knowledge – they get going wide along the side straight.

Mornington Racecourse Details
Address: 320 Racecourse Road
Suburb: Mornington, Victoria, 3931
Phone Number: (03) 5975 3310
Circumference: Turf – 1,800m
Direction: Anti-Clockwise
Track Type: Turf

Key Mornington Races

Mornington Races

The Mornington Cup is held on Saturday 21 March, and is a listed race. The Hareeba Stakes is a prelude to the event, and is hosted on the same day.

The reason the Mornington Cup makes such waves, is the fact that the winner gains an automatic entry into the Caulfield Cup – one of Australia’s top 3 races of the year.

There is a Mornington Cup Prelude, which is hosted on the 22nd of February at Caulfield. The race sits at 2,000m distance – and is also a listed race.

Mornington Racing Tips     

Mornington Racecourse Barrier and Starting Positions

The Mornington Racecourse is extremely different in comparison to other venues from across Australia.

With its figure 8 setting, the race needs a knowledge of where to head wide, and where to turn in.

It’s a very tight track which favours on pace runners in short, to middle distance events. There’s also three tight turns and bends which make it extraordinarily difficult for backmarkers to make up ground.

Inside barriers are always an advantage here, making it similar in performance value to Moonee Valley.

1000m: Runners here begin with a very small 100m straight before heading into a small tilt in the track. This tilt continues into one of the major bends in the course, and follows through to the final 200m straight. Inside barriers here are a bonus, as there’s limited amounts of distance to make up ground in a wider draw.

1200m: Begins in a chute just off of the course proper, and head into a diagonal 50m straight, which heads straight into a turn. This turn follows around the until the final 200m – making inside barriers almost vital for the win.

1400m: Runners here begin diagonally across from the line. They head into a short 100m straight before hitting a sharp turn. This turn once again carries on until the final mark – making inside barriers of high importance here. Pace makers will also do very well at this distance.

1500m & 1600m: Begin in a chute just off of the course proper. Runners who draw a wide gate at 1600m will have slightly more advantage, as they head into a 300m straight before the first sharp turn. Runners at 1500m will only have 200m to make up ground before the first turn.

2000m: Runners here begin on the home straight, just before the winners post. They have the most time to make up for a wider draw, making inside barriers of less importance than shorter distances which begin on a sharp turn.

2400m: The Mornington Cup distance. Inside barriers are a bonus here, with runners beginning on a turn just off of the home straight. Local knowledge and runners who race on pace, or set pace, will do well here.

Mornington Races Results

Getting to the Track

Neds Mornington Cup Day Courtesy Bus: On the biggest event of the calendar year for Mornington, complimentary buses depart from Frankston Station at 10::30am and 11:15am respectively. They return at 5:15 and 6:00pm. There are also bus shuttle services to the Mornington Main Street from 5:00 – 7:00pm

Train: The Frankston Lines depart from Flinders St Station in the Melbourne CBD to Frankston Station.

Check out the PTV website for more info on Train Times to the Mornington Races.

Queenscliff-Sorrento Ferry: A bit of a different way to get to the regional Mornington Races, the Queenscliff-Sorrento Ferry is a 40-minute trip across the Bellarine Peninsula and Mornington Peninsula. Remember to bring your car!

The ferry operated every hour from 7am-6pm daily. For more info, phone (03) 5258 3244 or searoad.com.au.

Taxi: Racegoers can be dropped at the Main Entrance via Gate 3, 320 Racecourse Road. There’s also a taxi rank at the back of Steeples Tabaret when departing.

Uber: Uber is available for everyone, and runs from the public carpark.

Want more Racing Information and Tips? Head to our Racing Hub Page to stay up-to-date!