Betting Guide Β· Updated 17 October 2026
Caulfield Racecourse Guide: Track, History & Getting There
Caulfield Racecourse, known as 'The Heath', is the Melbourne Racing Club's home track, about nine kilometres south-east of the Melbourne CBD. It is a triangular, anti-clockwise track of about 2.08 km with a 367m home straight. Racing began there in 1859, and the Caulfield Cup has been run there since 1879.
01Caulfield track at a glance
Caulfield is not an oval. It has three straights, each 30 metres wide, and banked turns.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Nickname | The Heath |
| Direction | Anti-clockwise (left-handed) |
| Circumference | About 2.08 km |
| Home straight | 367m |
| Track width | 30m |
| Banking | 4% on the turn into the home straight |
| Distance from CBD | About 9 km |
| Club | Melbourne Racing Club |
02A short history of 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 was established in 1876 and ran the first Caulfield Cup in 1879. The course was rebuilt after the 1995 Caulfield Cup and reopened in April 1996, when the track was widened to 30 metres and the straight lengthened by 43 metres. It was relaid again in 2005. Racing Victoria says the track will be fully resurfaced after the 2026 Caulfield Cup, with feature meetings on 14 and 28 November 2026 moved to Sandown.
03Major races at Caulfield
Caulfield hosts about 25 race days a season. Its Group 1 races include the Caulfield Cup, Caulfield Guineas, Thousand Guineas, Toorak Handicap, Might And Power Stakes, Underwood Stakes, Memsie Stakes, Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, Blue Diamond Stakes, Oakleigh Plate, C F Orr Stakes and Futurity Stakes. In spring 2026, Caulfield Guineas Day was Saturday 10 October and Caulfield Cup Day is Saturday 17 October.
04Getting to Caulfield Racecourse
Caulfield railway station is less than 100 metres from the racecourse and is on the Frankston, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. Tram route 3 serves the reserve, about 35 minutes from the city centre. Accessible car parks are opposite the main entrance on Station Street, with lift access to the grandstands. On big race days, public transport is the easiest option.
05The Caulfield Racecourse Reserve
The racecourse sits on Crown land set aside for racing, recreation and a public park. Under the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Act 2017, a trust plans for the future of the reserve and reports each year to the Victorian Parliament.
Sources: Caulfield Racecourse (Wikipedia), Melbourne Racing Club, Racing Victoria spring programs. Race.com.au is an independent information site; the Melbourne Racing Club runs the Caulfield Cup.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Caulfield Racecourse called The Heath?βΊ
Racegoers have long called it The Heath, after the heathland where the Melbourne Hunt Club first raced in 1859.
Which way do they race at Caulfield?βΊ
Anti-clockwise (left-handed).
How long is the straight at Caulfield?βΊ
367 metres.
How do I get to Caulfield Racecourse by train?βΊ
Take a Frankston, Cranbourne or Pakenham line train to Caulfield station, which is less than 100 metres from the course.
When was Caulfield Racecourse rebuilt?βΊ
After the 1995 Caulfield Cup; it reopened in April 1996. It was relaid in 2005 and will be resurfaced after the 2026 Caulfield Cup.
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