Maiden Cup 2006 - To The Line, winner of the race |
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| Location | Port Louis, Mauritius |
|---|---|
| Owned by | Mauritius Turf Club |
| Date opened | 1812 |
| Race type | Flat |
| Notable races | Maiden Cup |
| Official website | |
The Champ de Mars Racecourse is a race track in Port Louis, Mauritius, for thoroughbred horse races located close to the center of the city, at the Mauritius Turf Club (M.T.C).
The Mauritius Turf Club was founded in 1812, making it the oldest horse-racing club in the Southern Hemisphere, and one of the oldest in the world. [1][2] On 25 June of the same year, the Champ de Mars racecourse was inaugurated and the first organized race meeting in the history of the island was held. The Champ de Mars track follows a very selective right hand oval path and is relatively small in size, with a circumference of 1,298 meters (4,258.5 ft) and width between 12 and 14 meters (39 and 46 feet). The home-straight extends uphill and is 225 meters (738 ft) long.
Thoroughbred racing is the most popular sport on the island and the electrifying ambiance on race days, notably during the Maiden Cup.