Ascot Racecourse is the major racecourse in Perth and hosts race meetings every week through the summer months from October to April.

Perth’s major races are run at Ascot in November and December while the Derby and Oaks are run in April there too.

Those features include the Group 1 Railway Stakes, Winterbottom Stakes and Kingston Town Classic – all raced for $1million each.

That is along with the Group 2 Perth Cup which used to be a Group 1 and at two miles but was reduced both in standard and distance. It became a 2400m race in 2009.

Ascot racecourse is right in the Perth CBD and has been the home of the Western Australian Turf Club, now operating as Perth Racing, since it held its first race meeting in 1853.

Perth Racing is the only metropolitan race club in Western Australia and also manages Perth’s other racing venue at Belmont Park with both courses hosting a total of 90 meetings per season. 

Bordered by the Swan River, Ascot racecourse is also a major training facility with more than 500 horses in training with local trainers.

A feature of Ascot racecourse is an imposing statue of Perth champion Northerly, a two-time WS Cox Plate winner known locally as the Fighting Tiger. 

The circumference of Ascot racecourse is 2022m but with the straight measuring only 300m.

Ascot is a triangular course with three distinct turns including a sweeping curve from the 1600m to the 1000m.

Races at Ascot Racecourse are held over distances from 1000m to 2400m starting chutes for races over 1200m, 1500m and 1600m. Leaders are often favoured there depending on wind conditions off the river.