Ascot Park Raceway

About this place

Ascot Park Raceway is the racecourse at 111–117 Racecourse Road, Invercargill, and the home of the Southland Racing Club. It is one of the South Island's long-established racing venues: the Jockey Club used the 1800m Ascot Park course from the early 1860s, with the first recorded meeting held on 10 February 1860.

Today the site works as a multi-code venue. It holds thoroughbred meetings on course, is the home of greyhound racing for Otago and Southland, and hosts all-weather track meetings for a number of harness clubs, including the Invercargill Harness Racing Club, the Riverton Trotting Club and the Tuapeka Harness Racing Club. The 1029m all-weather track was first used on 16 December 1970 and was fully resurfaced in March 2021, with 360 tonnes of surface material replaced.

### Events and hospitality

Ascot Park Racecourse is available for event hire, and the club asks prospective organisers to make contact to discuss a booking. Great South, the regional development agency, notes that a range of hospitality packages is offered.

The venue's best-known corporate date is Christmas at the Races, an Invercargill fixture built around marquee hospitality on the park-like grounds. Great South describes it as a destination event that draws visitors from around New Zealand, with live music, catering, TAB and bar facilities, and a Fashion in the Field competition, and specifically positions it as an option for social club and business end-of-year functions — organisers are encouraged to theme their own marquee.

### Practical notes

The course sits in a park-like setting on the northern side of Invercargill, a short drive from the city centre and Invercargill Airport. Enquiries about race days, hospitality and venue hire go through the Southland Racing Club office.

For other options in the city, see Invercargill venues.