Oakbank Racing Club, formerly the Onkaparinga Racing Club, is a

thoroughbred horse racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and Horse industry, industry involving the Horse racing, racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter know ...

organization in

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 ...

. It is responsible for the

Oakbank Racecourse Oakbank Racecourse, also but less frequently known as the "Onkaparinga Racecourse", is home of the Oakbank Racing Club, a club which, until 2009, raced just twice annually, Easter Saturday and Easter Monday at the Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival, ...

and running the events of the Easter Racing Carnival on that course, culminating in the Great Eastern Steeplechase.

History

The Oakbank course had its origins in 1867, when a handful of enthusiasts, with the support of James and Andrew Johnston, proprietors of the Oakbank Brewery, decided to lay a track alongside the brewery for their own entertainment. Those involved were Andrew Johnston, William Tucker, Robert Correll (the local blacksmith), Michael Mullins, Frank Inglis, Thomas Ball and

Seth Ferry Seth "The Master" Ferry (25 May 1839 – 20 October 1932) was a prominent rider, dealer, owner and trainer of racehorses in South Australia. Biography Seth Ferry was born at "Providence House", Ponders End, Lower Edmonton, Middlesex, where his p ...

. Other early supporters were Alfred von Doussa and Dr. Hermann Esau JP. Facilities at their meetings were makeshift: Dr. Esau, who was nearly always the judge, would stand on a brewery wagon, and the grandstand would consist of two or three brewers' vans drawn up together. A race meeting was held on a paddock belonging to Lauterbach and Dohnt in 1868, but reverted to the Johnston property the following year. Picnic races were held on

Easter Monday Easter Monday is the second day of Eastertide and a public holiday in more than 50 predominantly Christian countries. In Western Christianity it marks the second day of the Octave of Easter; in Eastern Christianity it marks the second day of Br ...

annually from 1873. The first Onkaparinga Handicap Steeplechase was run as part of the programme on Easter Monday 17 April 1876, and repeated the following Easter Monday, 2 April 1877 as the

Great Eastern Steeplechase The Great Eastern Steeplechase was an Australian Thoroughbred steeplechase horse race held annually at Oakbank, South Australia on Easter Saturday and Monday at the Oakbank Racecourse as part of the Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival. The first fi ...

, which continues to this day. Following the success of those events, a meeting held at Woodside on 20 April 1877, Dr. Esau presiding, determined on the formation of an Onkaparinga Racing Club to conduct races under rules of the

South Australian Jockey Club South Australian Jockey Club is the principal race club in South Australia. First racing events The first horse racing events in South Australia took place at a well-attended picnic meeting held over 1 and 2 January 1838. In August 1838, riding ...

. The first race meeting held under the auspices of the Club was held on 6 April 1878. Stewards included Andrew Johnston (1827–1886) and J. D. Johnston. The programme consisted of: *Maiden Plate (15 sovs.) won by John Hill's "Glenelg" *Handicap Hurdle Race (25 sovs.) won by Seth Ferry's "Star" *Onkaparinga Cup (100 sovs.) won by J. D. Stehn's "Twilight" *Great Eastern Steeplechase (100 sovs.) won by Seth Ferry's "Darkie" *Flying Handicap (25 sovs.) won by R. Holland's "St. Barb" *Members' Steeplechase (ridden by Club members; 30 sovs.) J. T. Fergusson on "Barney" *Hack Race (10 sovs.), results not recorded. The name of the Club was changed from "Onkaparinga Racing Club" to "Oakbank Racing Club" late in the 20th century.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Oakbank Racing Club
Horse racing organisations in Australia

History

See also

References

External links