Hanshin Racecourse

Hanshin Racecourse
阪神競馬場

Aerial Photo at the Hanshin Racecourse
Location Takarazuka, Hyogo, Japan
Owned by Japan Racing Association
Date opened 1949
Screened on KBS Kyoto (Sat)
Kansai TV (Sun)
TVG Network (USA)
Course type Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Notable races Takarazuka Kinen
Japan Cup Dirt
Oka Sho
Hanshin Juvenile Fillies
Official website

Hanshin Racecourse (阪神競馬場 Hanshin-keibajō?) is located in Takarazuka, Hyogo, Japan. It is used for horse racing. The land was originally owned by Kawanishi Aircraft Company, which manufactured combat planes during World War II. After the WWII, GHQ ordered the company to stop manufacturing combat planes, which ended in closing the factory. In 1949, Keihanshin Keiba K.K. built the Hanshin Racecourse. The racecourse was transferred to Japan Racing Association in 1955.[1] A major reconstruction was completed in 1991, and another in 2006. It has a capacity of 139,877. It has 12,603 seats.

Physical attributes

Hanshin Racecourse has two turf courses, a dirt course, and a jump course.

The turf's outer oval (外回り sotomawari?) measures 2089m (1 1/4 miles + 254 feet), and the inner oval (内回り uchimawari?) measures 1689m (1 mile + 261 feet). Two chutes allow races to be run at 1800m/1400m and 2600m/2200m, respectively. Races can be run on the "A Course" rail setting (on the hedge), or the "B Course" setting (rail out 4 meters). The dirt course measures 1518 meters (7/8 mile + 360 feet), with a 1400m chute.[2]

The 2089m-long outer oval turf course was part of a major construction in 2006, and was a 400m-long extension. This would eventually remove two old chutes previously used, including a 1600m chute used for the currently-used 1689m-long inner oval course. The reconstruction (until the course was completely reconstructed) forced stakes races held in Hanshin during the second reconstruction period to be held in other racecourses, including Chukyo Racecourse and Kyoto Racecourse.

Hanshin Racecourse has hosted the Japan Cup Dirt since 2008; races prior to that was held in Tokyo Racecourse.

Notable races

Month Race Distance Age/Sex
Grade I
Apr Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas) Turf 1600m out 3yo f
Jun Takarazuka Kinen Turf 2200m 3yo +
Dec Japan Cup Dirt Dirt 1800m 3yo +
Dec Hanshin Juvenile Fillies Turf 1600m out 2yo f
Grade II
Mar Fillies' Revue (Oka Sho Trial) Turf 1400m 3yo f
Mar Hanshin Daishoten Turf 3000m 4yo +
Mar/Apr Osaka Hai Turf 2000m 4yo +
Apr Hanshin Himba Stakes Turf 1400m 4yo + f
Sep Centaur Stakes Turf 1200m 3yo +
Sep Rose Stakes (Shuka Sho Trial) Turf 1800m out 3yo f
Sep Kobe Shimbun Hai (Kikuka Sho Trial) Turf 2400m out 3yo c&f
Dec Hanshin Cup Turf 1400m 3yo +
Grade III
Feb./Mar. Arlington Cup Turf 1600m out 3yo
Feb./Mar. Hankyu Hai Turf 1400m 4yo +
Mar. Tulip Sho (Oka Sho Trial) Turf 1600m out 3yo f
Mar. Mainichi Hai Turf 1800m out 3yo
Apr. Antares Stakes Dirt 1800m 4yo +
Jun. Naruo Kinen Turf 2000m 3yo +
Jun. Mermaid Stakes (Handicap) Turf 2000m 3yo + f
Sep./Oct. Sirius Stakes (Handicap) Dirt 2000m 3yo +
Dec. Asahi Challenge Cup (Handicap) Turf 1800m 3yo +
Dec Radio Nikkei Hai Nisai Stakes Turf 2000m 2yo
J-Grade II (Steeplechase)
Mar. Hanshin Spring Jump Turf 3900m 4yo +
J-Grade III (Steeplechase)
Sep Hanshin Jump Stakes Turf 3140m 3yo +

References

  1. ^ Keihanshin Real Estate Co., Ltd. "沿革 会社案内 京阪神不動産株式会社" (in Japanese). http://www.keihanshin.co.jp/company/history.html. Retrieved 2007-03-22. 
  2. ^ JAIR. "Hanshin Racecourse". Archived from the original on 2006-10-23. http://web.archive.org/web/20061023123642/http://japanracing.jp/course/j04.html. Retrieved 2007-02-26.