List of racecourses in Sydney

This is a list of racecourses in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The list includes both existing and former racecourses. Former racecourses are included in the list for historical interest only. The list is in alphabetic order. Unofficial or sponsorship names are shown in single inverted commas.

There were various types of racing:

Typically, racecourses in Sydney were, and are, dedicated to one type of racing only. Pony racing and steeplechases no longer take place in Sydney.

(*) Sometimes referred to as 'Pony and Galloway racing',[2] where Galloway has the specific Australian meaning of a horse between 14 and 15 hands.

Course Name Owner(s) / Operator(s) Location

and Coordinates

 Type of racing Years of operation Relevant information Current use
Ascot Racecourse Privately owned North of Ross Smith Avenue, Mascot Pony racing 1904—1941

Racing:

Training:

 Now part of Kingsford-Smith Airport, used for long-term parking
Bankstown Paceway Bankstown Harness Racing Club Between Milperra & Eldridge Roads, Condell Park Harness racing 1953—present Racecourse
Brighton Racecourse Thomas Saywell North side of Bay Street, Brighton-le-Sands. Pony racing

Harness racing

 1895[3]—1911[4] Course was made by levelling a sandhill.[4] Residential housing in Princess and Gordon Streets and Moate Avenue.[4]
Canterbury Park Racecourse Sydney Turf Club, from 2011 Australian Turf Club Bounded by Cooks River, King Street, John Street, and housing in the north, at Canterbury. In early years, pony racing.[5]

Thoroughbred horse racing

 1884—present Initially, race meetings were annual events, dating back to at least 1871.[6] Called Caterbury Park from early 1884.[5] Racecourse
Five Dock Farm Mr Abercrombie In the area of what is now the suburb, Russell Lea.[7] One source says that the course was actually near to Birkenhead Point.[8] Steeplechase racing 1844[9][10]—1846[11] Later site of the mansion 'Russel Lea Manor' and subsequently the suburb of Russell Lea.
Grose Farm The original "Sydney Turf Club", which later became the Australian Jockey Club In the area of the University of Sydney campus, or Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, at Camperdown.

(Exact location not available.)

 Thoroughbred horse racing 1826—1840[12] Racing moved to Homebush University of Sydney or Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Harold Park Paceway NSW Harness Racing Club Area bounded by Minogue Crescent, original route of Ross Street, and RozelleTram Depot, Forest Lodge[13] Pony racing Harness racing

Greyhound racing

 Pony racing, while known as Epping Raceway.

Harness racing 1911–2010

Greyhounds 1927 —1987

 Originally called Forest Lodge, then Epping Raceway.

Course was extended in 1996.

 Residential housing, and some public open space as parkland
Hawkesbury Racecourse

'Windsor Racecourse'

 Hawkesbury Turf Club[14]

Currently, Hawkesbury Race Club[15]

 Racecourse Road, Clarendon[15] Thoroughbred horse racing c.1830—now Venue for the Hawkesbury Guineas

Clarendon railway station was named Hawkesbury Racecourse from 1870 up to 1876.

 Racecourse
Homebush Australian Jockey Club North of Great Western Highway, at Homebush West (opposite Flemington Markets)

(Exact location not available)

 Thoroughbred horse racing 1841—1859[16] Was on land owned by William Wentworth.[12]

AJC moved to Randwick in 1859

 Part of Sydney Olympic Park[12]
Hyde Park NSW Government What is now Hyde Park, in Sydney CBD, with the finish and grandstand being near what is now Market Street.[17] Thoroughbred horse racing 1810—1825

Governor Brisbane banned horseracing in 1825.[17]

 It set the pattern that horse races run clockwise in NSW.[17] Hyde Park, Sydney.
Kensington Racecourse Rosehill Racing Club Area bounded by High Street, Anzac Parade, and Barker Street, Kensington[18] Pony racing[19] 1893—1942 Race meetings were held mid-week, so as not to compete with nearby Randwick. Used as a military camp from 1942[19] Now part of the University of NSW. Part of its tote building remains.
Menangle Park Paceway

Sponsorship name "Tabcorp Park, Menangle"

 New South Wales Harness Racing Club Adjacent to Menangle Park railway station. Harness racing 1914—now

It was a racecourse until 1953

 The principal paceway for Sydney since closure of Harold Park. Racecourse
Moorfield Racecourse P. J. Moore / Moorefield Turf Club Limited[20][21] The area of Kogarah bounded by President Avenue, Princes Highway, Marshall Street and the eastern boundary of Scarborough Park. Pony racing 1888—1951 St George TAFE, James Cook Boys Technology High School, Moorefield Girls High School, and residential housing.
Penrith Paceway Penrith District A H & I Society, trading as Club Paceway Bounded by Mulgoa Road, houses on Rodley Ave, Station Street and Ransley Street, Penrith Harness racing 1900—now Racecourse
Petersham Racecourse Thomas Shaw[22] On paddocks south from Woolpack Inn (now Bald Faced Stag Hotel) on Parramatta Road, Leichhardt, extending to what is now railway line at Petersham.[23][24] Horse racing (type uncertain) 1845—1849[24] Grandstand was on what is now Railway St, Petersham.[23] Now largely residential housing
Rosebery Park Racecourse Privately owned[25] Corner of Botany Road and Gardeners Road (in 1894, Rainbow St), Alexandria Pony racing & Training 1895[26]—1906[27] Closed in December 1906, with racing moved to a new course.[27] Land purchased by what is now NSWAFL, and used as a football field until c1915, when they could not afford the repayments. Now factories.
Rosebery Racecourse Rosebery Turf Club, later Sydney Turf Club Southern side of Gardeners Road in Eastlakes Pony racing Racing:

1906–1942

Training:

c.1946—1962[16][28][29]

 Now Eastlakes Shopping Centre, residential housing, and Jack Mundey Park.
Rosehill Gardens Racecourse John Bennett

From 1943, Sydney Turf Club From 2011, Australian Turf Club

 Bounded by Grand Ave, James Ruse Drive, Unwin Street and Colquoun Street, Rosehill Thoroughbred horse racing 1888—now
Royal Randwick Racecourse From 1860, Australian Jockey Club. From 2011, Australian Turf Club Southern side of Allison Road, Randwick Thoroughbred horse racing 1833—now Was known as Randwick Racecourse. Renamed Royal Randwick in 1992. Racecourse
Victoria Park Racecourse James John Joynton Smith Western side of South Dowling Street, south of O'Dea Avenue, east of Joynton Avenue, Zetland Pony racing Later was site of BMC / Leyland Australia car plant. Residential housing (apartment blocks)
Warwick Farm Racecourse Australian Jockey Club From 2011, Australian Turf Club Bounded by Hume Highway, Governor Macquarie Drive, Cabramatta Creek and Georges River, Warwick Farm Thoroughbred horse racing Racecourse
Wentworth Park NSW Greyhound Owners Breeders and Trainers Association Greyhound course is part of larger Wentworth Park at Glebe. Greyhound racing Park used as a speedway until 1935

Greyhounds: 1932—now

 Dog track

References

  1. ↑ "OBITUARY". Sydney Morning Herald. 12 July 1927. p. 7. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  2. ↑ "KENSINGTON PONY AND GALLOWAY RACES". Sydney Morning Herald. 2 April 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  3. ↑ "Another Racecourse". Daily Telegraph (Sydney). 10 December 1895. p. 6.
  4. 1 2 3 "Brighton-Le-Sands: A Suburb Evolved From The Sandhills". St George Historical Society. 13 December 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  5. 1 2 "SPORTING". Daily Telegraph (Sydney). 21 January 1884. p. 6. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  6. ↑ "Canterbury Races". Australian Town and Country Journal. 28 January 1871. p. 26. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  7. ↑ "OBITUARY". Sydney Morning Herald. 12 July 1927. p. 7. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  8. ↑ "Five Dock racecourse | The Dictionary of Sydney". dictionaryofsydney.org. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  9. ↑ "Advertising". Sydney Morning Herald. 19 September 1844. p. 1. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  10. ↑ "Local Intelligence". The Colonial Observer. 19 September 1844. p. 196. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  11. ↑ "Advertising". Bell's Life in Sydney and Sporting Reviewer. 1 August 1846. p. 4. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  12. 1 2 3 "Homebush Racecourse". Strathfield Heritage. 14 September 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
  13. ↑ Gregory's Street Directory of Sydney (Map 5) (1st ed.). 1934.
  14. ↑ "HAWKESBURY TURF CLUB RACES, 1855". People's Advocate and New South Wales Vindicator. 19 May 1855. p. 2. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  15. 1 2 "About Us". Hawkesbury Race Club. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  16. 1 2 "The lost racetracks of Sydney and their place in Australian turf history". The Straight. 29 December 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  17. 1 2 3 "Hyde Park racecourse | The Dictionary of Sydney". dictionaryofsydney.org. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
  18. ↑ Gregory's Street Directory of Sydney Suburbs (Maps 12 & 19) (1st ed.). 1934.
  19. 1 2 "Harold Park Heritage Study" (PDF). p. 71. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2012.
  20. ↑ "Harold Park Heritage Study" (PDF). pp. 73, 74. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2012.
  21. ↑ "ONCE A SWAMP Rise of Moorefield A family concern". Sydney Sportsman. 11 January 1927. p. 1. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  22. ↑ Roberts, Mick (28 May 2013). "Parramatta Road's Bald Faced Stag". TIME GENTS. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  23. 1 2 "Petersham Race Track". Marrickville Heritage Society. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  24. 1 2 Wales, State Library of New South. "Bell's life in Australia". www2.sl.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  25. ↑ "ROSEBERY PARK RACECOURSE". The Australian Star. 27 February 1895. p. 8.
  26. ↑ "SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. THE TURF". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 October 1894. p. 8.
  27. 1 2 "ROSEBERY PARK". Referee (Sydney) NSW : 1886 - 1939). 26 December 1906. p. 5.
  28. ↑ "History of Racecourses Around Sydney | Shire Shuttle Bus". 8 January 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  29. ↑ "Harold Park Heritage Study" (PDF). pp. 70, 71. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2012.

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