Cheltenham Park Racecourse was a horse racing track located in the suburb of Cheltenham in Adelaide, South Australia. It is situated north-west of the centre of the city and approximately five kilometres from Port Adelaide. The track is 2052 metres in circumference with a 325 metre straight.
The Port Adelaide Racing Club began thoroughbred racing at the course and in 1921 the club bought the site on which the course stands for £25,000. The champion horse Tulloch became the first Australian horse to pass the £100,000 stakes mark when he won he S.J.Pullman Stakes at the track in 1961. Administration of the course was taken over by the South Australian Jockey Club in 1975.
In November 2007, the SAJC sold the racecourse land for A$85 million for a new housing development. It was proposed that the money be used to help fund the Victoria Park Racecourse redevelopment. However, following the decision to abandon racing at this venue the money will be utilised for further development at the Morphettville Racecourse.
On Saturday 21 February 2009 the last race meeting was held at the course before its official closure following the sale.
Famous quotes containing the words cheltenham and/or park:
“Here lies I and my three daughters,
Killed by drinking the Cheltenham waters.
If we had stuck to our Epsom salts
We’d not be lying in these vaults.”
—Anonymous. From H. J. Loaring’s Curious Records (1872)
“Is a park any better than a coal mine? What’s a mountain got that a slag pile hasn’t? What would you rather have in your garden—an almond tree or an oil well?”
—Jean Giraudoux (1882–1944)