Caulfield Racecourse history: from a bush track to the 150th Caulfield Cup

Caulfield Racecourse is a 2.08 km, anti-clockwise track in Melbourne's south-east, about nine kilometres from the CBD. Racing began there in 1859, the Victoria Amateur Turf Club formed in 1876, and the first Caulfield Cup was run in 1879 (Wikipedia). The Melbourne Racing Club now races there, and the 150th Caulfield Cup is on Saturday 17 October 2026 at 5:15pm AEDT (MRC).

Sources: Wikipedia: Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne Racing Club.

Photo: Caulfield Racecourse, Celco85, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

This site usually covers places off the main tourist trail. Caulfield is the opposite: a suburban course you can reach by train in about 15 minutes. It still has a long story, though, and most visitors on Cup day know little of it.

How did racing start at Caulfield?

Racing at Caulfield started in 1859 on a bush track where the Melbourne Hunt Club met. A racecourse was later laid out on the site of the club's dog kennels. The Victoria Amateur Turf Club (VATC) was established in 1876, and it ran the first Caulfield Cup three years later, in 1879 (Wikipedia).

The land itself is Crown land. The reserve was set aside for three purposes: racing, recreation and a public park. Since the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Act 2017, a trust has planned for its future and reports each year to the Victorian Parliament.

Why is it called The Heath?

The nickname goes back to the area's original landscape of heath and swamp. Racegoers still call Caulfield "The Heath", much as Flemington is called "headquarters" and Moonee Valley "The Valley".

What is the Caulfield track like?

Caulfield is not an oval. It is a triangle of three straights, each 30 metres wide, with a circumference of about 2.08 km and a home straight of 367 metres. Horses race anti-clockwise, the same way as at Flemington. The turns are banked, with 4% banking on the turn into the home straight.

The course was rebuilt after the 1995 Caulfield Cup and reopened in April 1996. The track was widened to 30 metres and the straight was lengthened by 43 metres. It was relaid again in 2005. According to Racing Victoria, the track will be fully resurfaced after the 2026 Cup, and some November meetings will move to Sandown while the work is done (Racing Victoria).

What races are run at Caulfield?

The Caulfield Cup (2400m) is the course's best-known race, but Caulfield hosts about 25 race days a season. Group 1 races at the course include the Caulfield Guineas, Thousand Guineas, Toorak Handicap, Might And Power Stakes, Underwood Stakes, Blue Diamond Stakes, Oakleigh Plate, C F Orr Stakes and Futurity Stakes.

In spring the Caulfield Guineas meeting (Saturday 10 October in 2026) comes first. Caulfield Cup Day follows a week later and, in 2026, features two Group 1 races: the Thousand Guineas at 3:45pm and the Cup at 5:15pm AEDT.

Who has won the Caulfield Cup at The Heath?

Source: Caulfield Cup honour roll, Racing.com 2025 review.

Seven horses have won the Cup twice, and 13 have won the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups in the same year, most recently Without A Fight (2023) and Half Yours (2025) (honour roll). During World War II the Cup was moved to Flemington, and in 1943 it was run in divisions. That is why the 2026 race is counted as the 150th running, not the 148th year.

For a race-by-race overview of the Cup, see Race.com.au's Caulfield Cup race guide. It collects the race details and recent winners in one place.

What does the 150th Cup change?

The MRC lifted prize money to $6 million for the 150th running, with $3.3 million to the winner, and every starter now earns prize money (Racing.com). Racing Victoria lists the race at a record $6.55 million including trophies (Racing Victoria).

Visiting tips

• Get there by train. Caulfield station sits less than 100 metres from the course entrance on the Frankston, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines.
• Check the official program. The MRC publishes gate times, tickets and the race book. On 17 October 2026 the first race is at 12:15pm and the last at 5:50pm AEDT.
• Results. Official results come from Racing.com and the MRC once stewards confirm them. Use those, not social media, if you need the result.

For broader racing coverage through the spring, Race.com.au follows each meeting, while the MRC remains the official source for Caulfield itself.

Information only, not betting advice. We checked these details against the Melbourne Racing Club, Racing Victoria and Racing.com on 17 October 2026. Times and arrangements can change on the day, so confirm with the official sources linked above. Race.com.au is an independent racing information site, not the official race organiser; the Melbourne Racing Club runs the Caulfield Cup. If gambling is a problem for you or someone you know, call Gambling Help on 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au. Gamble responsibly.