Cheltenham Park Racecourse was a

horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

track located in the suburb of

Cheltenham Cheltenham () is a historic spa town and borough adjacent to the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort following the discovery of mineral springs in 1716, and claims to be the mo ...

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

, between around 1921 and 2009.

History

The Port Adelaide Racing Club began

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racing at the course and in 1921 the club bought the site on which the course stands for £25,000. Administration of the course was taken over by the South Australian Jockey Club in 1975. The racecourse was also once served by now-demolished

Cheltenham Racecourse railway station Cheltenham Race Course railway station serves Cheltenham Racecourse on the outskirts of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. On the ex-Great Western Railway Cheltenham to Stratford-upon-Avon, Stratford line, the station opened in 1912 to se ...

on the Outer Harbor railway line. In November 2007, the SAJC sold the racecourse land for A$85 million for a new housing development. It was proposed that the proceeds of the sale be used to help fund the Victoria Park Racecourse redevelopment. However, following the decision to abandon racing at Victoria Park, it was decided to use the money for further development at the

Morphettville Racecourse Morphettville Racecourse is the main horse racing Race track, course for the Australia, Australian state of South Australia, incorporating two separate tracks. Home to the South Australian Jockey Club, it is situated in the Adelaide suburb of ...

. On Saturday 21 February 2009 the last race meeting was held at the course before its official closure following the sale, and the area was redeveloped as part of the new suburb of St Clair.

Location and description

Cheltenham Park Racecourse was situated north-west of the centre of the city and approximately from

Port Adelaide Port Adelaide is a port-side region of Adelaide, approximately northwest of the Adelaide city centre, Adelaide CBD. It is also the namesake of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield council, a suburb, a federal and state electoral division and is t ...

. The track was in circumference, with a straight.

Races

The champion horse Tulloch became the first Australian horse to pass the £100,000 stakes mark when he won the S.J.Pullman Stakes at the track in April 1961. The Queen's Cup, a race held in different locations around the country since 1927 (originally the King's Cup), was held at Cheltenham for the first time in 1990 (incorrectly described as "a new race in Adelaide called the Queen's Cup" by ''

The Canberra Times ''The Canberra Times'' is a daily newspaper in Canberra, Australia, which is published by Australian Community Media. It was founded in 1926, and has changed ownership and format several times. History ''The Canberra Times'' was launched in 1 ...

''), and was subsequently held there in some years before its closure.

References

Defunct horse racing venues in Australia Sports venues completed in 1921 1921 establishments in Australia 2009 disestablishments in Australia {{Australia-sports-venue-stub