Champ de Mars Racecourse

Champ de Mars Racecourse in Port Louis is one of the most historically extraordinary horse racing venues in the world — established in 1812 by officers of the British colonial garrison, making it one of the oldest continuously operating racecourses in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the oldest outside the British Isles. The track was originally established as a military parade ground (champ de mars is French for 'field of Mars') and converted to horse racing by the garrison's cavalry officers who sought recreation and competitive sport during the colonial administration. Mauritius was ceded to Britain by France under the Treaty of Paris (1814), but the island's French-speaking Creole culture, French-language legal code, and French colonial institutions (including the horse racing tradition) were retained — creating the unusual combination of a British colonial administration presiding over a French-speaking racecourse with French racing traditions. The Mauritius Turf Club (MTC), founded in 1812 and one of the oldest racing clubs in the world, administers the Champ de Mars programme. The track is a distinctive right-handed oval of approximately 1,900 metres, set within the urban landscape of Port Louis — the grandstands overlook a compact but meticulously maintained turf oval in the centre of the city, surrounded by the volcanic mountains of the island interior. The racing season at Champ de Mars runs from May to November, with meetings typically on Saturdays and public holidays. The multi-ethnic Mauritian community — drawing on Indian, Creole, Chinese, Franco-Mauritian, and European backgrounds — gives the racecourse a unique social character. The MTC's major races, including the Barbé Cup (the island's Classic for three-year-olds), attract genuine national interest. The IFHA recognises Mauritius as a member jurisdiction.