Barrier
advantages: Of least importance at 1200 and 1600
The first
racetrack in the Alice was on the Emily plain on the East Side
of town near where the Federal sports club was later established.
In 1878 racing shifted to the Claypan site, west of MacDonnell
siding. A track also existed in the heart of town, near where
the police station now stands.
The Mount
Nancy Racecourse was established in 1928, after a Royal Dedication
of land was made for public recreation. The last race meeting
at the Mount Nancy Racecourse was on 18 June 1977, with the
last race being won by a horse called Abeson trained by Gary
Curnow and ridden by Tommy Gibbs.
Racing moved
to Pioneer Park on the South Stuart Highway in 1977, following
the closure of the Mount Nancy Racecourse, which was on the
North side of town, approximately where Head Street is now situated.
The first
race meeting at Pioneer Park, just south of Heavitree Gap, was
on Saturday 25 June 1977. The first race of the day was won
by a horse called Cobbs, trained by Dudley McIntyre and ridden
by Max Chapman.
