Brisbane Turf Club
The Brisbane Turf club has been a leading racing club in Queensland. It was initiated in 1923 under the name of the Brisbane Turf Club; however that name does not exist anymore, as the club recently merged with the Queensland Turf Club to form the Queensland Racing Club. The Doomben Racecourse is the designated home of the present club.
There are a lot of racing events which take place under the flagship of the Queensland Racing Club
History
The Brisbane Turf Club had been a primary Queensland racing club since it was built in 1923. Based at the Doomben Racecourse, the Brisbane Turf Club came a long way from being a minor club and it underwent some major changes over the times.
The start of the club was when in 1992 G.M. Dash, Barney Joyce and Allan Oxlade bought the Albion Park, which was previously owned by John Wren. They laid the foundation of the club and named it the Brisbane Amateur Turf Club.
Doomben Racecourse
The Brisbane Amateur Turf Club underwent a major expansion by buying more land for the racecourse, which went on to become the beautiful Doomben Racecourse. This course was inaugurated in 1933. The Doomben racecourse is situated about seven & a half kilometers north of the city’s Central Business District in the suburban area of Ascot. It is called the Garden Racecourse -its natural beauty being the prime reason.
The Doomben Racecourse was shut down during the Second World War, as allied troops dug in there during the Pacific War. Following which, for the last 60 years, the Brisbane Turf Club has developed the course to become one of the province’s most well-known venues for the numerous horse races.
In 1946, when the course reopened, the TM Ahern and the Doomben Cups were held there for the first time. The Doomben Cup is now thought to be one of the best middle-distance racing events in the country.
In 1982 the Club gave up its original home, the Ascot Park, to finance a major upgrade to the new world class Doomben Racecourse. Races here are held in a clockwise route with a perimeter of 1715 meters and a 350 meters straight.
Other noteworthy moments in the history of the club were the overture of the Queensland Horse of the Year Award in 1971, and inclusion of women as members in 1980. The Club was incorporated in 2001.
Merger
The year 2009 brought the most significant change in the history for Brisbane Turf Club, when in July 2009 it signed a merger with its long standing rival, the Queensland Turf Club to form the Brisbane Racing Club.
It may seem that the time of the Brisbane Turf Club has come to an end, which marks the closing of an important chapter in the horse racing history of the region. On the other hand, the merger seems to be a more beneficial change for the courses as a multi-billion dollar expansion plan has been announced for both the Eagle Farm and Doomben courses for the future.
This merger was the result of the financial issues arising due to the management two major racing associations in such a small city as Brisbane. It was deemed as an economic necessity; nevertheless it does not affect the punters as they will continue to enjoy their favourite events at both the same venues.
As far as the betting turnover is concerned, the online bookmakers offer a much better time-saving alternative to the traditional way of laying the bets. Logistically speaking it can be very hard to reach the track in time and deal with the parking issues and the latest Covid restrictions.
After that one has to face the ordeals of waiting in long lines to place the bets and then collecting the payout after the race might not be a simple task either. Online bookies can also save you the waiting times consumed while the race actually starts.
For recreational punters, as wagering is just a hobby, they prefer to be present at the racing event to watch their favourite horses and chant for them to win. On the other hand for professional punters, this time is very valuable and it can be better utilised by doing some important research for the next event in line. As the famous statement goes, time indeed is money!
Please note, this website is owned and operated by a private company. It is in no way affiliated with, nor does it represent any Australian racing club.