The Northern Territory town of Alice Springs lays claim to being the centre of Australia, lying mid-way between Darwin and Adelaide. In 1861 John McDougall Stuart led an expedition through Central Australia, eventually reaching what later became known as Alice Springs. In the early 1870s the Overland Telegraph Line was constructed, overseen by the telegraph pioneer Sir Charles Todd. His wife was Lady Alice Todd, the town being named after her, while the river which the town straddles is named the Todd River after Sir Charles. Today the town boasts a diverse population in excess of 24,000 and its racing enthusiasts are well served by the Pioneer Racecourse. In the early days the racecourse was located to the east of the town on the Emily plain, while a second site was situated in the centre of the town close to the present day police station. However, by 1878 the racecourse transferred to the Claypan area of the town, with races overseen by the McDonnell Range Turf Club. Details of meetings in 1879 and 1880 are shown below.

In November 1879 a £20 a side Match over 2 miles saw Hawley, a light-bay gelding owned by Mr J Barry, defeat Happy Jack, a chestnut gelding owned by Mr P Byrnes. Just a month later the McDonnell Range Turf Club organised a meeting on Friday 26th December 1879 when the Central Australian Handicap was won by Mr Lawrence’s Bluegown, while the Ladies Purse went to Mr Hading’s Exile and the Hurdles race was won by Mr Summers’ Jack’s-the’Lad.
Tuesday 28th December 1880
McDonnell Range Races
Maiden Race:- Stockman
Ladies Purse:- Brian Boru
Flying Handicap:- Sundown
Central Australian Handicap:- Exile owned by Mr Harding
Hurdle Race:- Mark Topley
Consolation Stakes:- Puck

Racing was administered by a number of different authorities over the years, including the Stuart Turf Club and MacDonnell Range Turf Club in the late 19th and early 20th century. They organised a two day meeting on Boxing Day 1892 and two days later, with key results shown below.
Monday 26th December 1892
Alice Springs Purse (£40) over 1 ½ miles
1. Moriska owned by Mr C M Bagot and ridden by Asselford
2. Wandi owned by Mr F R W Scott and ridden by Meade
3. Coomarra owned by Mr T Williams and ridden by Hill
5 ran
Wednesday 28th December 1892
McDonnell Range Cup (£80) over 2 miles
1. Moriska owned by Mr C M Bagot and ridden by Nash
2. Barter owned by Mr C M Bagot and ridden by Robertson
3. Wandi owned by Mr F R W Scott and ridden by Meade

At the end of the meeting a couple of members of the McDonnell Range and Stuart Turf Club expressed discontent with the Club. They expressed their intent to organise a grass-fed meeting in September 1893, calling their new club the Stuart Racing Club. However, the McDonnell Range and Stuart Turf Club remained strong, organising meetings featuring the Flint Handicap, McDonnell Range Cup and Stuart Handicap until 1928.

Results from the December 1923 meeting are shown below.
Monday 31st December 1923
McDonnell Ranges Cup over 1 ½ miles
1. Terry owned by Mr L Bloomfield and ridden by B Bloomfield
2. Santoy owned by Mr J Lackman and ridden by E Dixon
3. Gauntlet owned by Mr J Lackman and ridden by J Clayton
9 ran
Aboriginal Flutter over 4 furlongs
1. Heather Belle owned by Mr L Bloomfield
2. Lady African owned by Mr G Hayes
3. Champagne owned by Mr J J Lackman
7 ran
Stuart Handicap over 5 furlongs
1. Wait A While owned by Mr G Hayes
2. Lord Nicholson owned by Mr E Dixon
3. Princess Mary owned by Mr L Bloomfield
6 ran

The provincial racecourse of Mount Nancy was to be found in the town of Alice Springs in the state of Northern Territory. It was situated along the Stuart Highway and was the first home of the Alice Springs Race Club.
In 1928 a new course was opened called the Mount Nancy Racecourse, although at this point the McDonnell Range and Stuart Turf Club were still in charge, although later the Alice Springs Race Club took over the administration for a few years.  Results from the second day of the December 1928 meeting are shown below.
Thursday 27th December 1928
McDonnell Range Cup over 1 ½ miles
1. Boyhead owned by Mr L Bloomfield
2. Tanami owned by Mr Windle
3. Santoy owned by Mr Windle
Stuart Handicap over 5 furlongs
1. Encounter King owned by Mr L Bloomfield
2. Night Glass owned by Mr Hanlon
3. Percy owned by Mr N Jones

In the early 1930s the Central Australian Racing Club assumed control and were at the helm between 1935 and 1985, before the name changed back to the Alice Springs Turf Club. The Central Australian Racing Club organised a meeting in December 1935 which was highly successful, showed a profit of £70 over the 2 days, with large attendances each day. A party of 40 people travelled 320 miles from Tennant Creek to attend the meeting.
Central Australian Cup £50 over 1 ½ miles
1. Keepsake owned by Mrs L Bloomfield and ridden by P Ryan
2. Salt Air owned by Mrs E Hayes and ridden by E Hayes
3. Winacre owned by Mr R Allen and ridden by J Reynolds
5 ran
Stuart Handicap over 5 furlongs
1. Mobah owned by Mrs L Bloomfield and ridden by B Bloomfield
2. Waitomo owned by Mr R Harris and ridden by P Ryan
3. Winacre owned by Mr R Allen and ridden by J Reynolds
3 ran

In 1977 the old Mount Nancy Racecourse closed, hosting its final meeting on Saturday 18th June 1977, and exactly a week later a new course was opened at Pioneer Park on Saturday 25th June 1977 when the principal race was the Pioneer Park Cup. The racecourse is suitably named Pioneer Park to mark the achievements of all early pioneers of racing in Alice Springs. Today the racecourse is thriving, hosting a large number of race days, predominantly on a Saturday or Sunday, but the principal race is the Alice Springs Gold Cup which is staged on the first Monday in May. Results from recent renewals of this Cup are shown below.
2009 The Alice Springs Gold Cup ($52,800) over 2000 metres was won by He’s Here (9/1) trained by Kerry Petrick and ridden by Paul Denton, beating General Market and Protesta 11 ran
2010 The Alice Springs Gold Cup ($52,800) over 2000 metres was won by Granzig (11/2) trained by Lisa Lefoe and ridden by Kin Gladwin, beating Gnaens Equus and Kingnadim 12 ran
2011 The Alice Springs Gold Cup ($66,000) over 2000 metres was won by Naratel (11/2) trained by Phillip Stokes and ridden by Dom Tourneur , beating Agarkar and Blackbriar 12 ran
2012 The Alice Springs Gold Cup ($66,000) over 2000 metres was won by Granzig (20/1) trained by Mick Whittle and ridden by Dom Tourneur, beating Right Fong and Palmyra Boy 12 ran
2013 The Alice Springs Gold Cup ($72,600) over 2000 metres was won by The Ruffian (11/4) trained by Sheila Arnold and ridden by Dom Tourneur, beating Patience and Port Vell 12 ran
2014 The Alice Springs Gold Cup ($72,600) over 2000 metres was won by Pretty Blonde (11/2) trained by Kym Healy and ridden by Justin Potter, beating Chieftain Jack and Waggaballa 12 ran
2015 The Alice Springs Gold Cup ($72,600) over 2000 metres was won by Spartan Eagle (20/1) trained by Bob Richard and ridden by Scott Westover, beating Pretty Blonde and Bolton 12 ran
2016 The Alice Springs Gold Cup ($72,600) over 2000 metres was won by Montalto (12/1) trained by Angela Forster and ridden by Carl Spry, beating Big Man and Spartan Eagle 12 ran
2017 The Alice Springs Gold Cup ($72,600) over 2000 metres was won by Pretty Blonde (5/2) trained by Kym Healy and ridden by Raymond Vigar, beating Peressini and Hillbilly Rich 10 ran

ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3

652 pages

774 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0

352 pages

400 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7

180 pages

140 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4

264 pages

235 former courses