Historical information

Photographer notations on slide: New Straight Moonee Valley 1933
Published: Age (Melbourne, Vic.: 1854- ), 11 December 1933
Published title: The New Straight Moonee Valley
Published caption: Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), Monday 11 December 1933, page 6
The finish of the Koombahla Trial Handicap, the first race run on the new and longer straight across the flat at Moonee Valley racecourse. Magoot won, with Affability second and Great Bear third. This picture, taken from the members' reserve, shows the new straight in relation to the old one (the latter will continue to be used for races of less than seven furlongs), with the finishing post on the right and the new Judge's box in front of the old one. In the distance can be seen the starting points for races over nine furlongs and eight furlongs and a half on another course track.
Trove article identifier: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203362672

Research by Project Volunteer, Louise McKenzie:
This photo, taken from the elevation of the stand in the Members’ Reserve at Moonee Valley Racecourse, has been framed in order to highlight the new straight, the finishing post, and a new Judge’s Box.

In the foreground is a crowd of racegoers in the Members area, showing significantly more women in attendance than men. It is a bright, sunny Tuesday afternoon. The women are wearing small or large brimmed hats and are mostly swathed in generously cut coats with long sleeves that are mid calf length. Some women carry umbrellas to protect them from the sun. The men are wearing suits and hats. The women and men are mostly standing in discrete, rather than mixed groups.

More spectators are standing on a banked area in the centre of the track, a large crowd is trackside on the left and another crowd is located to the right of the photo along the final straight.

There are stewards on horses in front of the members reserve, and a field of 12 horses approaches the winning post.

On a slope at the rear of the photo is evidence of a fairly new housing development, evidenced by the small number of trees. Beyond this there is some vacant land to the left and then more dense housing is evidenced to the right.

In the photo the white fencing delineating the course and spectator areas creates wonderful lines and curves. It is a very sharp and clear image.

The race underway is the Koombahla Trial Handicap, which was won by Magoot by a length from Affability, with half a length back to Great Bear. At this juncture, Magoot won 3 of 4 starts, and subsequently on Saturday 30 December 1933, with a new up and coming young Flemington trainer J M Murphy, and popular mount Harold Skidmore, Magoot was the favourite and winner of the day’s principal event at Moonee Valley. The Weekly Times that day reported that Magoot had been sold to Launceston sportsman Mr W C Learoyd. The winnings from this race, 400 Pounds , was apparently sufficient to offset the cost of the horse, and would be the equivalent of approximately $9,500 in today’s money. The same article describes Magoot as a “Magpie” gelding as his bloodline was Magpie Tullalah from New Zealand.

Sadly, on 9 October 1935, the Examiner (Launceston) reported that Magoot had to be destroyed after falling and breaking her shoulder while running in the Grovedale Handicap in Geelong, but such was her reputation that she warranted an accompanying photograph.

Moonee Valley Racecourse was established in 1883 on private land by its owner WS (Sam) Cox – after whom the prestigious horserace, the WS Cox Plate is named. It is located 6 km from the Melbourne CBD in the suburb of Moonee Ponds. It became a non-proprietary property in 1935, and today the Cox Plate, run over 2040 m. each October, is the richest weight-for-age race in Australia for 3 year old and over, under Weight for Age conditions.” According to the Austadiums website, Moonee Valley has a “unique amphitheatre track and was the first Australian metropolitan track to conduct night racing.” This amphitheatre style is evident in Hugh Bull’s photo.

THE NEW STRAIGHT AT MOONEE VALLEY. (1933, December 11). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 6. Retrieved July 23, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203362672
Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), Monday 11 December 1933, page 6
THE NEW MOONEE VALLEY TRACK (1933, December 11). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 7. Retrieved September 1, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11719604
Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Monday 11 December 1933, page 7
MAGOOT SOLD (1933, December 23). The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), p. 22 (METROPOLITAN EDITION). Retrieved September 1, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article141384672
Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 23 December 1933, page 22
SMALL BUT GOOD (1933, December 30). Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), p. 48 (FIRST EDITION). Retrieved September 1, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223210074
Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 30 December 1933, page 48
MOONEE VALLEY RACES. (1933, December 11). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 13. Retrieved September 1, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17031425
Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Monday 11 December 1933, p. 13
ACCIDENTS AT GEELONG MAGOOT DESTROYED (1935, October 10). Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), p. 3 (DAILY). Retrieved September 1, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51958216
Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), Thursday 10 October 1935, p. 3
Wikipedia, Moonee Valley Racecourse, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonee_Valley_Racecourse
eMelbourne, the city past and present, https://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM01003b.htm
Wikipedia, Cox Plate, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._S._Cox_Plate
Austadiums, Moonee Valley, https://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/moonee-valley

Physical description

Glass plate negative

Inscriptions & markings

Photographer notations on slide: New Straight Moonee Valley 1933