Riccarton Racecourse
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Riccarton Park Racecourse is the main
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 ...
horse racecourse for the
Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...
city area in
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.


History

The Canterbury Jockey Club was established in 1854 and held its first meeting at Hagley Park in Easter 1855. The Riccarton racecourse was reserved as a public recreation ground by the Canterbury Provincial Council in 1858 and leased to the Jockey Club. Riccarton Racecourse became the home of the
New Zealand Cup The New Zealand Cup is a thoroughbred horse race run at the Riccarton Park Racecourse in Christchurch. New Zealand Cup week The New Zealand Cup is raced on the final Saturday of Christchurch "Cup week" held each year in the second week of Nov ...
in 1867. The Tea House and the Public Grandstand were designed by local architects, Alfred and Sidney Luttrell. In October 2022, it was reported the Canterbury Jockey Club had been granted permission to demolish the 100-year old grandstand, despite opposition from heritage campaigners.


Main races

On the Saturday prior to Canterbury Show and Cup week in November: * The Group 1
New Zealand 2000 Guineas The 2000 Guineas is a Group One set-weight Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of 1600 metres at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand. Christchurch New Zealand cup week The New Zealand 2000 Guineas is hel ...
run over 1600m for 3yo horses, * The Listed Metropolitan Trophy Handicap, an Open handicap over 2500m. * The Listed Pegasus Stakes, an Open handicap over 1000m. On the Wednesday of the Canterbury Show and Cup week: * The Group 3 Canterbury Breeders Stakes, a set weight plus penalties race for fillies and mares run over 1400m. * The Group 3 Stewards Stakes Handicap, an Open Handicap raced over 1200m. * The Group 2 Coupland Bakeries Mile (1600m), an Open Handicap. On the Saturday of the Canterbury Show and Cup week: * The Group 3
New Zealand Cup The New Zealand Cup is a thoroughbred horse race run at the Riccarton Park Racecourse in Christchurch. New Zealand Cup week The New Zealand Cup is raced on the final Saturday of Christchurch "Cup week" held each year in the second week of Nov ...
run over 3200m (2 miles). * The Group 1
New Zealand 1000 Guineas The 1000 Guineas is a Group One set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies run over a distance of 1600 metres (1 mile) at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the sout ...
run over 1600m for 3yo fillies. * The Listed Welcome Stakes, a 2-year old set weight race over 1000m. In August: * The Grand National Steeplechase, first run in 1875, which is 5600m. * The Grand National Hurdles, run over 4200m. * The Group 3 Winter Cup, an Open Handicap over 1600m. In September: * The listed Canterbury Belle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over 1200m.


Demographics

The Riccarton Racecourse statistical area includes a residential area between the racecourse and the commercial area of
Hornby, New Zealand Hornby is a major residential and retail suburb at the western edge of Christchurch, New Zealand. The suburb is directly connected to other parts of Christchurch and the South Island by a number of main arterial routes, including State Highwa ...
. Including the racecourse, it covers . It had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. Riccarton Racecourse had a population of 1,206 at the
2018 New Zealand census The 2018 New Zealand census, which took place on Tuesday 6 March 2018, was the thirty-fourth national census in New Zealand. The population of New Zealand was counted as 4,699,755 – an increase of 457,707 (10.79%) over the 2013 census. Resu ...
, a decrease of 9 people (−0.7%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 36 people (3.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 486 households, comprising 618 males and 588 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.05 males per female. The median age was 38.5 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 174 people (14.4%) aged under 15 years, 273 (22.6%) aged 15 to 29, 552 (45.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 207 (17.2%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 69.7% European/
Pākehā ''Pākehā'' (or ''Pakeha''; ; ) is a Māori language, Māori-language word used in English, particularly in New Zealand. It generally means a non-Polynesians, Polynesian New Zealanders, New Zealander or more specifically a European New Zeala ...
, 8.7%
Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
, 5.7%
Pasifika Pasifika may refer to: *Pacific Islander people, indigenous peoples of the Pacific Islands **Pasifika New Zealanders, Pacific peoples living in New Zealand *Pacific Islands, including Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia *The Pasifika Festival, an a ...
, 21.1% Asian, and 3.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 28.6, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 45.5% had no religion, 40.5% were
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
, 0.2% had
Māori religious beliefs Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
, 2.5% were
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
, 0.5% were
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
, 1.5% were
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
and 2.7% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 198 (19.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 219 (21.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $34,800, compared with $31,800 nationally. 120 people (11.6%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 573 (55.5%) people were employed full-time, 126 (12.2%) were part-time, and 39 (3.8%) were unemployed.


See also

*
Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand The racing of Thoroughbred horses (or gallopers, as they are also known) is a popular gaming and spectator sport and industry in New Zealand. History Thoroughbred horse racing commenced soon after European settlement. The first totalisator ma ...
*
Trentham Racecourse Trentham Racecourse is the main thoroughbred horse racecourse for the Wellington city area in New Zealand. It is located in the suburb of Trentham, New Zealand, Trentham in Upper Hutt, next to Trentham Military Camp. The races are conducted by t ...
*
Ellerslie Racecourse Ellerslie Racecourse is the main racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand, for thoroughbred racehorses. It is an undulating, grass circuit in the suburb of Ellerslie, New Zealand, Ellerslie, with a circumference of just under 1,900 metres. Racing ...
*
Addington Raceway Addington Raceway or The Met is the home of the Metropolitan Trotting Club in Addington, Christchurch in New Zealand. The venue consists of a trotting track, a greyhound track, conference centre and restaurants. It is also home to many feature ...
*
Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting The Australian and New Zealand punting glossary explains some of the terms, jargon and slang which are commonly used and heard on Australian and New Zealand racecourses, in Totalizator Agency Board, TABs, on radio, and in the horse racing medi ...
*
New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame The New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame recognises and honours those whose achievements have enriched the New Zealand thoroughbred horse racing industry. History The Hall of Fame's first group of honorees were inducted in 2006, and inductions are h ...


Reference list


External links


Official website
{{coord, 43.527953, S, 172.544317, E, format=dms, display=title, type:landmark_region:NZ Horse racing venues in New Zealand Sports venues in Christchurch Sidney and Alfred Luttrell buildings