The Mornington area is one of Victoria's top racing centres with horse studs and many leading trainers based on the Mornington Peninsula.

Mornington Racing Club itself has more than 2000 members and holds 20 meetings a year.

The two biggest feature races are the Mornington Cup in February, which sees shops decorate their windows in racing themes and draws a crowd of more than 10,000.

The Great Southern Steeplechase in May sees horses and riders racing in an anti-clockwise direction on the figure of eight steeplechase track, the only one of its type in Australia.

Hundreds of horses train daily at the track, which has a modern grandstand, undercover betting ring and a winning post dining room. The glass-fronted Panorama Room overlooks the track.