Connaught Park Racetrack
| Location | 788 Aylmer Road, Gatineau, Quebec Canada 
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| Owned by | Tommy Gorman |
| Date opened | Thoroughbreds: June 14, 1913 Standardbreds: 1953 |
| Date closed | Thoroughbreds: July 5, 1954 Standardbreds: 2008 |
| Course type | Flat Thoroughbred (1 mile (1.6 km)) Harness (1/2 mi.) Infield: Steeplechase |
Connaught Park, later known as Hippodrome d'Aylmer, was a thoroughbred, steeplechase and harness racing track, later having a casino and live betting parlor, located in the Aylmer, Quebec district of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada from 1913 until 2009. It had two tracks: a one-mile dirt track used until 1954 for thoroughbred racing, and a half-mile dirt track, used for harness racing. Racing ended in 2008 after its ownership declared bankruptcy. The site was sold in 2009 for a housing development.
The track was founded in 1913, named after the governor-general of the time Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, who was also the club's first honorary president. The Connaught Park Jockey Club was founded by J. McEntee Bowman, a hotelier from New York city, Ed Skead and J. K. Paisley. The first president was Hal B. McGiverin. Directors included Thomas Ahearn, J. W. Woods, L. N. Bate, Redmond Quain, Stewart McClenahan, J. W. Carling, N. A. Belcourt, C. E. Fauqier and Clifford Sifton. The 90 acres (36 ha) site was selected from several sites in Aylmer and special soil was brought to the site and a one-mile track was laid out. At first, the race track held thoroughbred racing, but steeplechase races were also held, through the field at the track.
The first races were held on June 14, 1913, with Sir Wilfrid Laurier in attendance, part of a seven-day meeting. Music was provided by the band of the Duke of Cornwall's Own Rifles and the Hull City Band. The first race was for three-year-olds and was won by Lindesta ridden by jockey Eddie Ambrose. The top race of the day was the fourth race, at a mile and one-eighth for $1,500 and a silver plate. The race was won by a filly, Airey and was also ridden by Ambrose.
The track operated annually until 1917, under the Canadian Racing Association, when it was interrupted for war-time reasons. The track re-opened in 1920, under the presidency of Senator Belcourt and the secretary was Tommy Gorman. It continued under the CRA until 1934, when it joined the Province of Quebec Racing Association, whose president was Gorman. The club was reorganized in 1937 under the partnership of Gorman and the owners of the Montreal Canadiens, Leo Dandurand and Joe Cattarinich, and Gorman became the general manager.
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