The Victoria Racing Club was founded in 1864. It was formed following the disbanding of the Victoria Turf Club and the Victoria Jockey Club. A legacy passed from the Victoria Turf Club was the annual "race that stops a nation", the
Melbourne Cup, which was first contested in 1861.
From its foundation in 1864 until 2001, the Victoria Racing Club was the responsible authority for the conduct of thoroughbred racing in the State of
Victoria, Australia. Since 2001, this role has been managed by
Racing Victoria Limited.
The VRC is managed by an unpaid committee, elected by club members.
In 1871, the Victorian Government appointed the VRC as trustees of a site of 352 acres (1.4 km
2) of Crown Land, next to the
Maribyrnong River, which became known as
Flemington Racecourse
Flemington Racecourse is a major horse racing venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is most notable for hosting the Melbourne Cup, which is the world's richest handicap and the world's richest 3200-metre horse race. The racec ...
.
Much of the early success of the VRC is attributed to the administration of the first Secretary of the club, Robert C. Bagot
Two New Associates Inducted to Hall of Fame
/ref> and his successors H. Byron Moore and A. V. Kewney.
Racing carnivals
The Victoria Racing Club hosts four race meetings at Flemington during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. The Melbourne Cup is run on the first Tuesday in November, the Victoria Derby are held on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup, the VRC Oaks is on the Thursday following the Cup, and LKS MacKinnon Stakes is on the Saturday following the Oaks.
The VRC also hosts race meetings during the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metr ...
. These meetings include Group 1 races for the Australian Cup
The Australian Cup is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older, held under Weight for Age conditions, over a distance of 2000 metres, at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in March dur ...
, the Newmarket Handicap and the Black Caviar Lightning.
See also
* Australian Stud Book
References
* Freedman, Harold and Lemon, Andrew (1987), ''The History of Australian Thoroughbred Racing, The beginnings to the first Melbourne Cup'', Vol. 1, Classic Reproductions, Melbourne, Victoria.
* Pacini, John (1988), ''A Century Galloped By. The first hundred years of the Victoria Racing Club'', VRC, Melbourne, Victoria.
External links
Victoria Racing Club (VRC)- official websiteFlemington Racecourse – official website
{{VRC Race Days and Events
Sporting clubs in Melbourne
Horse racing organisations in Australia
1864 establishments in Australia
Sports clubs established in 1864
Horse racing in Melbourne