History of Harold Park

A brief history of Harold Park follows along with links to archived information below. To Return to this page click the 'Back' button on your Internet Browser. Note: The information on the archive pages below is from a previous website and some information may be out of date.

• History of Night Trotting
• Inter Dominions
• Miracle Mile
• Harold Park Legends
• Track Records
• Harold Park Premiership Winners

The history of Harold Park

THE New South Wales Harness Racing Club was proud to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2002, having been incorporated on October 10, 1902.

Few of the small but sedate crowd which attended Harold Park's first meeting on 19th November, 1902, visualised that in 1960, 58 years later, on the same course a world record crowd of 50,346 would tear down partitions in the grandstand to get a better view of a big event.

Few at that first meeting visualised that in 1975, some 78 years later, trotting drivers from North America and Europe would compete against Australian and New Zealand drivers on a racing strip, described by the visitors as the "best lit trotting track" in the world.

Then in March 2002, the biggest Inter Dominion crowd in a decade gave the Bathurst pacer Smooth Satin a standing ovation as he fought on to take a last stride victory over the Victorian, Shakamaker.

However the crowd at that first meeting would marvel at the magnificent sporting area, which Harold Park is acclaimed in its centenary year.

The Harold Park course in 1902 was known as Forest Lodge, and for the first meeting there were five events with total prizemoney of 99 sovereigns.

Just prior to the turn of the century, and before meetings commenced at Forest Lodge, the present Harold Park course, trotting and pacing was confirmed primarily to match races between enthusiasts without and serious attempt at organisation.

Following some preliminary discussions, 33 of the sport's keenest supporters met together on 4th June, 1902 at the saddlery shop of J.McGrath, a well-known harness maker of the day.

Between them, those present at the meeting raised the sum of 19pounds 17shillings and 6 pents to launch the proposed Club. The general contribution was 2/6 per person, while the maximum donation was 10 pounds 10 shillings by Mr.J.A.Buckland, owner of the famous horse "Fritz".

A week later the Club was incorporated on 10th October, 1902, with 22 members paying a subscription of 2 pounds 2 shillings, and the inaugural meeting was held on 19th November, 1902, the Forest Lodge course it was then known, being leased from the Metropolitan Rugby Union.

Following two meetings at Forest Lodge, racing was continued at the old Kensington Pony course where it was conducted until June 1904. Racing was then resumed at Forest Lodge, which had in the interim period became Epping.

1911 was an eventful year in the history of harness racing in New South Wales. It marked the recognition by the Colonial Secretary of the Day, of the New South Wales Trotting Club as the Controlling authority of the sport in the state. From that year onwards, successive Governments have continued to give that recognition, until 1976 the control was transferred to the Trotting Authority of NSW.

1911 also included the Club purchasing the course from the Metropolitan Rugby Union for 10,400 pounds.

The track was known as Epping until 21st March, 1929, when, due to the confusion of the name with that to well-known Sydney suburb, it was renamed Harold Park, after the imported trotter Childe Harold – one of the great progenitors of the stock of the early night trotting days.

Childe Harold was bred in Kentucky, and was imported from Glasgow, Scotland, by Mr. Andrew Town of Richmond, New South Wales.

October 1st, 1949, saw the sport and the Harold Park track receive its greatest impetus in New South Wales, with the advent of night racing, as the result of legislation enacted with the support of all parties in the State Parliament.

The progress since then has reached heights undreamt of by those who attended Harold Park's inaugural meeting in 1902, and from its early obscurity, Harold Park has become known world-wide as the venue of one of Australia's most spectacular night entertainments.

Since night trotting commenced, harness horses at Harold Park have achieved worldwide recognition, and there have been some thrilling and exciting races conducted at the track.

Without doubt the most memorable is that which took place on 13th February, 1960, when the "mighty atom" Caduceus from New Zealand defeated Australia's Apmat in the final of the Inter Dominion before a world record crowd of 50,346.

The scene was set that night for the very best in thrills, excitement, competition and drama. The previous week, the best pacers in Australia and New Zealand had opposed each other in three series of gruelling and testing heats.

Caduceus and Apmat had been singled out as the best two chances in a star-studded final field, and throughout the heat series, it could be seen that the rivalry which existed between these two great horses had been carried on to their drivers Jack Litten of New Zealand on Caduceus, and the local champion, Bert Alley on Apmat.

People crammed every vantage point to watch the race. They were jammed on every square inch of the inside greyhound circuit and packed into what is now the centre-course carpark.

Those who were unable to see in the grandstand tore down timber and three ply partitions in the main grandstand.

In a spectacular finish, Caduceus passed the post half a length clear of Apmat, with the Victorian Maestro's Melody a neck away third and Fettle a close fourth.

Caduceus received one of the most deafening ovations ever heard on a racetrack, but whilst the cheers were still sounding, the news was announced that a protest was lodged by Bert Alley against Caduceus being declared the winner.

This produced a most unfavourable reaction from the crowd, strange in the circumstances for they had turned against their own local horse. The Stewards, however, dismissed the protest and Caduceus was the winner of one of the most exciting sporting events ever held in Sydney.

The list of champions who have raced at the famous Glebe circuit reads like a "Who's Who" of harness racing.

Champion standardbreds from all parts of Australia and New Zealand have achieved great feats in the track and re-written the record book before appreciative crowds.

Those few enthusiasts that attended the first meeting back in 1902 could have hardly visulised the changes, which would come to the historic Harold Park course.

Harold Park, in the year 2002, still continues to be a huge success – living up to it's name as the premier harness racing track, and one of the best sporting venues in Australia.