SIMMERING HAIDE RACECOURSE
The Simmering Haide racecourse was situated in a flat, barren area of land ideal as a racecourse, on the heath like spaces of Austria. Records indicate that racing too place as early as 1816. Certainly it is clear that organised meetings took place in 1858 when Emperor Franz Joseph was in attendance.
	Such was the quality of racing in the country in the late 1800's that the Austrian Derby winner of 1895, Tokio II, was due to race at Newmarket for the Cambridgshire, taking on the Lord Rosebery owned Sir Visto, the English Derby winner.
One of the most famous European racehorses was Kincsem who not only won the Austrian Derby of 1877, but also triumphed in 4 of the Hungarian Classic races and a year later won the Goodwood Cup.
If you have badges, racecards, pictures of the racecourse or further details about the course, including your memories, then email johnslusar@fsmail.net