Races That Are Fun To Attend During A Visit To Australia

There are all sorts of different races that take place around Australia so here is a list of the many different types that occur.

Bathurst 1000

The Bathurst 1000 is an annual touring car race at the Mount Panorama racing circuit in Bathurst, which is about 200 kilometers west of Sydney. The first race was in 1963 under the name the Armstrong 500, which had been moved from Phillip Island.

The total length of the track is 6.2 kilometers with the race being 1000 kilometers long with 161 laps and 23 turns. The most successful and famous driver to compete at Bathurst is Peter Brock who won the race 9 times and was given the mantle of ‘King of the Mountain’.

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

Considered one of the most difficult yacht races in the world, this event begins in Sydney, New South Wales on Boxing Day and finishes in Hobart Tasmania. The first race was in 1945 and was originally supposed to be just a cruise but it was suggested by a visiting British Naval Officer that it should be a race. The length of the race is approximately 630 nautical miles (1,170 kilometers) and takes an average of 1 day and 18 hours to complete.

The current official record time is 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes by LDV Comanche, a 100-foot maxi yacht. There are roughly 100 competitors with the latest winner being Ichi Ban in 2021.

The Belmont Sprint

This Group 3 thoroughbred horse race takes place at the Belmont Park Racecourse in Perth in Western Australia. This turf race was inaugurated in 1963 and takes place in late May or early June every year. The distance of the race is 1400 meters although it was originally 6 furlongs until 1973. It became 1400 meters in 1982. Some Belmont race tips are needed as the total prize purse of this race is currently $200,000AUD.

Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix

Held at the Albert Park Lake circuit since 1996, this is one of the biggest motor races in Australia. The 16-turn track is 5.303 kilometers (3.296 miles) and is a street circuit. The first winner of the race was Williams driver Damon Hill. The next race is projected to be in April 2022.

Originally, the Australian Formula 1 was hosted in Adelaide since it began in 1985 on the Adelaide Street Circuit with the last race being in 1995 before being relocated to Melbourne.

Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix

Every year over 50,000 people flock to Phillip Island in Victoria to watch the race which has been held at the circuit since 1997. Some of the world’s best riders have competed here including Valentino Rossi, Mick Doohan, and Casey Stoner, Marc Márquez, and Max Biaggi. The asphalt track has 12 turns and is 4.445 kilometers (2.762 miles) in length.

The Melbourne Cup

The biggest horse race in the southern hemisphere, The Melbourne Cup, takes place during the Spring Racing Carnival in November every year. The race was inaugurated in 1861 and attracts thousands of people to Flemington Racecourse and millions of people around the world tuned in to watch it. Many world champion horses have ridden and won the race including Phar Lap, Kingston Town, and Makybe Diva.

These are just a small example of the fun that racing fans can have in Australia. The country plays host to such a diverse collection of sports that it would be difficult to name them all.