Ngong Racecourse is a
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 ...
in
Nairobi
Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper h ...
,
Kenya
)
, national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Nairobi
, coordinates =
, largest_city = Nairobi
...
. It is the main and currently only
thoroughbred racing
Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing i ...
venue in Kenya. It is located along the
Ngong Road near the Lenana School and next to The Nairobi Business Park, beside
ngong forest. It is operated by the
Jockey Club of Kenya
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual w ...
.
[The Standard, April 3, 2009]
Kenya Derby is main Jockey Club of Kenya event
/ref>
The racecourse was opened 1954, when it replaced the old racecourse in Kariokor, near Nairobi CBD. Ngong Racecourse is nowadays the only racecourse in Kenyan although there were races in other towns, including Eldoret, Nakuru
Nakuru is a city in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. It is the capital of Nakuru County, and was formerly the capital of Rift Valley Province. As of 2019, Nakuru had an urban and rural population of 570,674 inhabitants, making it the largest ...
, Nanyuki
Nanyuki is a Market town in Laikipia County of Kenya lying northwest of Mount Kenya along the A2 road and at the terminus of the branch railway from Nairobi. The name is derived from Enyaanyukie Maasai word for resemblance.
It is situated just ...
and Limuru
Limuru is a town in central Kenya. It is also the name of a parliamentary constituency and an administrative division. The population of the town, as of 2004, was about 4,800. In a census taken in 2019 the population had increased to 159,314.
Loc ...
. The first horse racing event in Kenya took place in 1904 in Machakos with Somali ponies.cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open cou ...
competitions, and it has acted as a special stage for the Safari Rally
The Safari Rally is a rally held in Kenya. It was first held in 1953 as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The event was part of the World Rally Championship from 1973 until 2002, before returning in 2021. It is historically r ...
. It has also been used for Ostrich racing
The common ostrich (''Struthio camelus''), or simply ostrich, is a species of flightless bird native to certain large areas of Africa and is the largest living bird species. It is one of two extant species of ostriches, the only living members o ...
.[Professional Travel Guide]
Nairobi Calendar of Events
/ref>
References
External links
Jockey Club of Kenya
{{coord, 1, 18, 35, S, 36, 44, 35, E, type:landmark_region:KE, display=title
Horse racing venues in Kenya
Sport in Nairobi
Sports venues in Kenya