Tabcorp Park, Menangle, is a

harness racing Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace). They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, or spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australi ...

track operating in

Menangle Park, New South Wales Menangle Park is a suburb in Sydney the state of New South Wales, Australia. Menangle Park is located 56 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the Local government in Australia, local government area of the City of Ca ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. The New South Wales Harness Racing Club conducts meetings at the Paceway. The New South Wales Harness Racing Club trading as Club Menangle Trackside is located within the Paceway grounds. Major extensions to the club at the licensed historic premises previously known as the Horse and Jockey Inn just outside the paceway grounds, opened in September 2019.

History

The ''Menangle Park Paceway'' was opened in 1914 and after the outbreak of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, it was requisitioned as an army camp used for the

Australian Light Horse Australian Light Horse were mounted troops with characteristics of both cavalry and mounted infantry, who served in the Second Boer War and World War I. During the inter-war years, a number of regiments were raised as part of Australia's part-ti ...

. The facility was returned to the owners for

horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

, until 18 November 1941, when the

racecourse A race track (racetrack, racing track or racing circuit) is a facility built for racing of vehicles, athletes, or animals (e.g. horse racing or greyhound racing). A race track also may feature grandstands or concourses. Race tracks are also use ...

was again taken over by the military during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

.Menangle RAAF Squadrons during the Second World War
Camden History Notes The racecourse was converted into a military camp, providing camping and training facilities for

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

constructed an

aerodrome An aerodrome (Commonwealth English) or airdrome (American English) is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for publ ...

at the site in 1942, which went through the middle of the racecourse, which was known as ''Menangle Aerodrome''. The aerodrome was a satellite aerodrome for

RAAF Station Schofields RAAF Station ''Schofields'' is a former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base and aerodrome located at , a suburb of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. The aerodrome was used during World War II and was in operation between 1942 ...

and the runway was long and wide. Seven splinterproof pens and five concealed hideouts were constructed at the aerodrome. The site was also used as an aircraft park for

HMS Nabthorpe HMS ''Nabthorpe'' was a Royal Navy Mobile Naval Operating Air Base (MONAB) at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base RAAF Station Schofields at Schofields, New South Wales. HMS ''Nabthorpe'' was also known as MONAB III and Royal Naval Air Sta ...

, a

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

Mobile Operational Naval Air Base, based at Schofields. _ 2021 Menangle Park stages over 100 race meetings per year (twice a week). It is a much sought after venue in the Macarthur region for functions/trade shows and festivals. Club Menangle embraces the local community through many functions and charity drives. Club Menangle is the home of the $1million Garrard's Miracle Mile, the richest harness racing race in the Southern Hemisphere 2011 Following the closure of Harold Park on 17 December 2010, the NSW Harness Racing Club (now branded as Club Menangle) moved all its operations to the Menangle Park track. It is now the show piece for harness racing in New South Wales. 2008 After a major facelift, the Menangle Park 1400-metre track was officially opened on 24 June before a strong 8,000 crowd. 2000 Works commenced to rebuild and change the Menangle Park track from the 800-metre circuit to a new state-of-the-art 1400-metre complex. 1980s Again in this decade well patronised harness racing meetings were held at the picturesque out of town track. Menangle Park track was also the venue for the very successful Sunday Menangle Markets that were conducted each week for a number of years. 1970s Strong and well patronised harness racing meeting were held at Menangle Park. In 1975 the local Campbelltown Show, that had previous been held for a number of years at the Showground in the centre of town, was moved and was held successful for a number of years at the Menangle Park venue. 1964 Night trotting was introduced to the Menangle Park track on 2 November. 1953 After extensive work and remodelling, the NSW Trotting Club opened racing on 26 September, at it new 'Out of Town' track. A huge crowd of 5,000 attended the opening, and the new trotting track was officially opened by Governor, Sir William McKell. 1952 After being dormant for a few years following its use in WWII, the racecourse site was put up for auction for 25,000 pounds by the owner the Menangle Park Racing Company Limited. There were no bidders. Bill Dunlop, the then President of the NSW Trotting Club, then arranged a private purchase. 1943 The racecourse was again commissioned by the Air Force RAAF and Army, this time during World War II. An airstrip was built in the middle of the track. This airstrip was used by Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith in the film ‘''Smithy''’ that was produced in the late 1940s. 1920 Racing resumed at the racecourse and both thoroughbred and trotting meetings were conducted. Notable thoroughbred, ‘''Rogilla''’, a Caulfield Cup winner and multiple feature race winner, won his Maiden (first win) race at Menangle Park in 1931. 1917 The racecourse site was commissioned by the Army for World War I. It was the training camp for the Lighthorse and the Camel Corp. 1914 On 6 August, the first Official Race meeting (gallops) was held at the Racecourse. A sprinkling of harness racing meetings were held by the 'Menangle Park Trotting Club' 1913 In September, the final plans for the building of the 'Menangle Park Racecourse', were finalised by the Architect, local A.R. (Alf) Payten 1820 Menangle House was built about 1820 by George Taber. It still stands today and is heritage lists. It is in the grounds of the new Menangle Country Club on Menangle Road

Units based at Menangle Aerodrome

No. 1 Squadron RAAF , colors= , colors_label= , march= , mascot= , battles=World War IWorld War II Malayan Emergency , anniversaries= , decorations= , battle_honours= Egypt 1915–1917 Palestine 1917–1918 Malaya 1948–1960 , commander1= Richard Williams (1917� ...

No. 15 Squadron RAAF No. 15 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) light bomber and maritime patrol squadron of World War II. The squadron was formed in January 1944 and initially flew anti-submarine patrols off the east coast of Australia. From September ...

No. 23 Squadron RAAF No. 23 (City of Brisbane) Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is a non-flying base operations and training squadron headquartered at RAAF Base Amberley near Brisbane, Queensland. The squadron was formed in 1937 and saw action agai ...

* No. 83 Squadron RAAF * No. 164 Radar Station RAAF After the abandonment of Menangle aerodrome, the site was a location for scenes for the film Smithy based on the historic flight of

Charles Kingsford Smith Sir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith (9 February 18978 November 1935), nicknamed Smithy, was an Australian aviation pioneer. He piloted the first transpacific flight and the first flight between Australia and New Zealand. Kingsford Smith was b ...

Return to trotting

New South Wales Harness Racing Club acquired the site in 1952 and redeveloped the racecourse as a paceway, which officially opened on 26 September 1953. The newly reconstructed paceway reopened in 2008 as Tabcorp Park, Menangle, and is the fastest and largest harness racing circuit in Australia at 1400 metres, and is now the major harness racing venue in New South Wales. In 2011, the track saw the first sub 1:50 mile ever run in Australasia, with

Smoken Up Smoken Up is an Australian champion Standardbred race horse bred in New Zealand. He was the first pacer outside North America to record a mile in under 1:50. He was known as Trigger. Early racing career Smoken Up began racing in New Zealand a ...

running 1:48.5 in the Len Smith Mile. Their main races are the

Miracle Mile Miracle Mile may refer to: Places in the United States * Miracle Mile, Los Angeles, California, a district of Los Angeles * Miracle Mile (Coral Gables), a shopping area in Coral Gables, Florida * Miracle Mile (Manhasset), New York, a premium sho ...

, the New South Wales Derby, the

New South Wales Oaks New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

, the Len Smith Mile and the qualifiers for the Miracle Mile, the Allied Express Sprint and the Canadian Club Sprint. It replaced

Harold Park Harold Park is a place in the London Borough of Havering. History Harold Park is north-eastern part of Harold Wood, occupying an isthmus of land between the A12 and the Ingrebourne River (The River Ingrebourne at Harold Park and Hornchurch). ...

as Sydney's premier harness track in 2010. Fred Hastings is the NSW Harness lead race caller however Anthony Manton, Matt Jackson, Luke Marlow, Mitch Manners and Brandon Kreymborg have all called at this venue.

References

External links

Official Site
{{SydneyRacing Former Royal Australian Air Force bases Military history of Sydney during World War II Harness racing in Australia Menangle Park, New South Wales