A restaurant and bar in a grandstand has suffered significant damage following a fire at the Sandown racecourse.

Three days before the venue’s biggest horse race meeting of the year, an upper level area took the brunt of the fire.

The venue, which has catered for motorsport since 1962, serves as the opening leg to the Pirtek Enduro Cup with V8 Supercars’ Sandown 500 held in September.

Up to four Country Fire Association crews from Dandenong, Rowville and Springvale attended the fire, the cause of which remains unknown.

A 20m by 30m room was well involved by fire when crews arrived.

An official from the Melbourne Racing Club said the area that was damaged would not have any impact on the Sandown Cup horse racing meeting this weekend.

“It was on a covered outdoor area, and thankfully that’s where it was contained to, at the northern end of the grandstand,” Jake Norton told the Leader newspaper .

“Thankfully it was contained and didn’t really penetrate any rooms.

“The area where the blaze happened was at the opposite end of where the horse movements take place.”

The venue this weekend will host its signature thoroughbred meeting which features the Group 2 Sandown Guineas and Zipping Classic as well as the listed Sandown Cup.

The fire was brought under control at 12.15pm local time.