Eagle Farm Races
Eagle Farm Races are situated in Brissy – and are home to one of QLD’s most famous races, the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.
Other top tier races for the track include the Queensand Derby, Queensland Oaks, and the TJ Smith.
Now, to the history.
Eagle Farm Races have been happening since 1865, and include the Brisbane Winter, and Summer Racing Carnivals.
The site is only 7km out of the Heart of Brisbane – and is now controlled by the new Brisbane Racing Club.
This Brissy Club now oversees all of Brisbane’s Races, and has been in effect for a little over a decade.
It is a joint entity between the Brisbane Turf Club and the Queensland Turf Club.
In terms of the course itself, Eagle Farm Races is home to an oval shaped track, with sweeping turns on either end of the straight.
The track itself is right handed, and has a circumference of 2,029m. This also includes a 434m straight.
The Doomben Races and Eagle Farm Races are actually opposite each other, giving an extra edge to those Brisbane Racing Carnivals.
Eagle Farm Racecourse Details
Address: 230 Lancaster Road
Suburb: Ascot, QLD
Phone Number: (07) 3268 2171
Circumference: 2,027m
Direction: Clockwise
Track Type: Turf
Key Eagle Farm Races
| Race Name | Distance | Group Level | Prize Money |
| Stradbroke Handicap | 1,400m | Group 1 | $1,500,000 |
| Queensland Derby | 2,400m | Group 1 | $600,000 |
| Queensland Oaks | 2,000m | Group 1 | $500,000 |
| The TJ Smith | 1,200m | Group 1 | $1,250,000 |
| Winter Stakes | 1,400m | Group 1 | $500,000 |
Eagle Farm Races
Eagle Farm is home to the Brisbane Winter Carnival in May and June, which also sees the biggest event of the season.
This is the Group 1, 1,400m Stradbroke Handicap – which boasts prize money of over $1,000,000.
Other Group 1 Races hosted by the track include the Group 1, 2,400m Queensland Oaks, a $400,000 set weight race for 3-Year-Old Fillies.
The 1,600, TJ Smith race, for two year old open set weights, worth half a million in prize money.
The Queensland Derby, which is a 2,400m set weight race for 3-year-olds, also worth half a million in prize money.
And, the 1,400m Winter States, weight for age race, for fillies and mares, also worth half a mil.
There’s also a liturgy of Eagle Farm Races throughout the week – which are usually hosted on Wednesday Arvo.
Eagle Farm Racing Tips
Eagle Farm Racecourse Barrier and Starting Positions
1,000m: Runners here begin in a chute off the course proper, on the right side of the track. There’s a long, sweeping turn, which heads directly into the home straight. Inside barriers are of clear advantage, due to the race beginning in a turning motion.
1,200m: Runners here begin at the back of the course, and once again head straight into that long turn. Anyone inside Gate 12 will have a clear advantage, with a majority of winners coming inside this barrier.
1,300m, 1,400m, 1,500m: Runners begin at a long straight at the very back of the course, which make barriers of less importance. Here, wider barriers are able to cut across in the first straight, therefore giving them a more definite chance.
1,600m: Runners here begin at the back of the course proper, with a straight run of 550m until the first sweeping corner. Gates here are unimportant.
2,100m & 2,200m: Runners here begin in the home straight just before the winning post. As there’s a defined length and distance here, barriers are of no importance.
3,200m: Eagle Farm Races only have one event here at this distance, and that’s the Brisbane Cup. Winners in recent years have, like the Melbourne Cup, come from inside barriers. Although there’s plenty of distance to make up a wider barrier draw.
Getting to the Track
Train: If you want to get to the Eagle Farm Races, head to Ascot Station on the Doomben Line. This is situated right next to both tracks, giving you little to no walking time to either turf.
If you want to plan your journey, check out QLD Translink.
Bus: Route 300, 301 and 305 all cross Brisbane City to Ascot.
Once again, visit QLD Translink for Bus Timetables.
Car: If you want to head to the Eagle Farm Races by car – you’ll need to head around 8km out of the Brisbane CBD. The same as Doomben, a 20-25 minute drive from Kingston Smith Drive.