Ballarat Greyhounds

Morshead Park

Location| Morshead Park, Sutton Street and Rubicon Street, Ballarat Central Victoria
Coordinates| 37°34′47″S 143°49′49″E﻿ / ﻿37.57972°S 143.83028°E﻿ / -37.57972; 143.83028
Operator| Ballarat Greyhound Racing Club
Surface| Burrumbeet Sand
Opened| 23 December 1978

The Ballarat Greyhounds, also known as Morshead Park is a greyhound racing track located at Morshead Park, Sutton Street and Rubicon Street, Ballarat Central Victoria, Australia.[1] Managed by the Ballarat Greyhound Racing Club (BGRC) and overseen by Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV). This track hosts events like the Ballarat Cup and offers races covering distances of 390, 450, 545 and 660 metres.[1] Racing is conducted Monday and Wednesday and occasional Saturdays and includes Tabcorp betting facilities and video replays broadcast on and off course.[2]

## History

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The Ballarat Greyhound Racing Club was formed in 1935 and the original track was located at Broadway Park (the North Ballarat Sports Club today) in Creswick Road, adjoining the Ballarat Showgrounds.[3][4] The track was opened on 11 March 1938 by councillor H J Wheeler.[5]

Over a three-year period during the late 1970s a new racing complex was constructed at the present site at Morshead Park. The opening meeting was held on Saturday 23 December 1978 with the first race winner being Eddy Tornado trained by W R Dalton. The meeting included a match race (a two-runner race only, where two greyhounds are matched against each other) between Melbourne Cup winner Tangaloa and Sandown Park track record holder Darville's Flyer, won by the latter.[3]

In 2012, Morshead Park underwent a significant facility upgrade costing $3.2 million. The upgrade was split between GRV ($1.7 million), the Coalition Government ($1.35 million) and the BGRC ($150,000) and included a major transformation of the grandstand and race track. The first meeting after the upgrade was held on Wednesday 3 October 2012.[6][7]

## Track distances

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Distance (m)  | Distance (ft)

|

390  | 1,280
450  | 1,480
545  | 1,788
660  | 2,170

## Ballarat Cup Roll of Honour

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The Cup was first held in 1960 at Broadway Park over 496 yards. In 2020 the winner received $47,000 although prizes have been higher in the past.[8]

### Past winners

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Year  | Winner

|

1960 | Rebby Boy
1961 | Dalemee
1962 | Eerie Town
1963 | Alrarniv
1964 |
1965 |
1966 |
1967 |
1968 | Baytown's Son
1969 | My Gina
1970 |
1971 | Fawn Metal
1972 | Master Caleb
1973 | She's My Girl
1974 | Fawn Capri
1975 | Ben Boro
1976 | Ernie Diro
1977 | not held
1978 | not held
1979 | Nelson's Mate
1980 | Swift As Light
1981 | Johnny's Monaro
1982 | Satan's Shroud
1983 | Total Claim
1984 | Lady Lilly
1985 | Trisun
1986 | not held
1987 | Shining Chariot
1988 | Kepler
1989 | Hay Dinney
1990 | Welcome Stranger
1991 | Malawi's Prince
1992 | Wild Pirate
1993 | Dallas Duo
1994 | Tivoli Man
1995 | Malawi Law
1996 | King Of Talent
1997 | Young Darren
1998 | Lansley Bale
1999 | Tom's Legacy
2000 | Puff Daddy
2001 | Carlisle Jack
2002 | Knockabout Wok
2003 | Puzzle Prize
2004 | Whisky Assassin
2005 | Magic Trance
2006 | Witch Magic
2007 | Go Wild Jack
2008 | Vee Man Vane
2009 | Dyna Lachlan
2010 | Greta Bale
2011 | Up and Away
2012 | Maverick Tiger
2013 | Ronin Izmir
2014 | Luca Neveelk
2015 | Shared Equity
2016 | Zambora Brockie
2017 | Aston Dee Bee
2018 | Aston Kimetto
2019 | Western Envoy
2020 | Yozo Bale
2021 | Ferdinand Boy
2022 | Compliance
2023 | Kelsey Bale
2024 | Explicit

## References

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1. ^ a b "Ballarat Greyhound Racing Club". Greyhound Racing Net. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
2. ^ "Track results". Greyhound Recorder. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
3. ^ a b "About Us". Greyhound Racing Victoria Ballarat. 24 November 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
4. ^ "Broadway Park Ballarat 1972". History of Greyhound Racing. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
5. ^ "Coursing at Ballarat". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 28, 565. Victoria, Australia. 11 March 1938. p. 4 ("The Argus" Turf Guide). Retrieved 14 March 2021 - via National Library of Australia.
6. ^ "New Dawn For Ballarat Greyhound Racing". Australian Racing Greyhound. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
7. ^ "BALLARAT'S BEST CALLED". Greyhound Racing Victoria. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
8. ^ "BALLARAT CUP: Brockie delivers trainer his birthday wish". ballarat.grv.org.au. 2 December 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2017.