Sandown race track is located in Springvale about 25 kilometres from the Melbourne city centre and has two tracks known as Hillside and Lakeside. The racecourse had a major upgrade in 1999 and its premier race, the Sandown Cup, was reinvented as the Sandown Classic, with increased prizemoney and a change from handicap to weight-for-age conditions.
A permanent Quarantine Centre at Sandown was completed in 1997 and used to house visiting international horses. It is home to the Melbourne Racing Club.
it was announced on Thursday November 13th, 2008, that for the first time in history a major Australian racecourse will be carry the name of a sponsor with Melbourne's Sandown Racecourse to be renamed 'Betfair Park' as part of a three-year sponsorship deal with the world's leading betting exchange. The Melbourne Racing Club, which controls both Caulfield and Sandown racecourses, announced the deal which will begin from the 2008 Sandown Classic meeting.
Melbourne Racing Club
Racing commenced at Sandown in 1965 and was administered by the Victoria Amateur Turf Club(VATC) which also looked after racing at Caulfield. The Club started a five 5 year plan in 2001 to establish a second turf track at Sandown to be known as Hillside, and the existing track to be renamed Lakeside. As part of the plan the Club also changed from the VATC to become the Melbourne Racing Club.
The Melbourne Racing Club operates at both Caulfield and Sandown racecourses and holds 60 plus racemeetings each year across the two locations, which acounts for almost half of all city racing in Melbourne.
Sandown Racing Carnival
Sandown hosts its racing carnival in spring time and the meeting is held a week after the Flemington racing carnival in November.
Spring
Below are the main races of the Sandown spring racing carnival.
Sandown Classic - Group 2 - Weight-for-age race over 2400m
Sandown Guineas - Group 2 - 3yo set weights race over 1600m
Sandown Stakes - Group 3 - Quality handicap race over 1500m
Sandown Track Details
The Sandown track has been developed into a course for all weather conditions and is considered to be one of the best wet weather tracks in Australia. It is a roomy track with a long straight which has a tough uphill run home that tests a horse's true grit in the run to the line. It suits strong finishers or horses that can find plenty under pressure in the straight.
Lakeside
Circumference:1,891 metres
Straight: 407 metres
Direction: Anti-Clockwise
Hillside
Circumference: 2,097 metres
Straight: 491 metres
Direction: Anti-Clockwise
The Hillside track uses the outside 30 metres section of the main straight and a moveable rail is positioned along the length of the straight to protect the inside 15 metres for the Lakeside track. This new track increases to a circumference of 2087 metres and the straight length is 491 metres.
Sandown Track Map
Sandown Contact details
Melbourne Racing Club
591-659 Princes Hwy
Springvale, Victoria
Ph: 03 9518 1300
Website: Melbourne Racing Club Website How to get to Sandown racecourse
Sandown Racecourse is located in Springvale about 25 kilometres from Melbourne's city centre and can be reached by following the Princes Highway or Monash Freeway to the Springvale Road exit and then follow the clearly marked signs to the Sandown racecourse turn-off.
Melbourne has three other city racing tracks which can be found below;
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