Spring Carnival Races

Each year, the highlight of the Australian horse racing calendar is unquestionably the Spring Racing Carnival, which runs for approximately 50 days in October – November. Punters and spectators are entertained with a plethora of elite races, many of which have Group 1 status, and the wagers placed on these races are some of the biggest in Australian sport every year. The spectacular Spring Carnival races position Melbourne as the sporting capital of Australia, and being the most bet on cycle of races in the nation, generates a wealth of capital for the city and the state of Victoria. Now deemed as a truly international event, the Spring Carnival attracts elite contenders from all over the globe every year as they all congregate to compete for the high prize money and celebrated status that these races provide.

The Spring Racing Carnival features the nation’s most outstanding and well-known horse races, including the most distinguished race of them all, Australia’s biggest sporting event, the Melbourne Cup. This prestigious race attracts international attention with top thoroughbreds from around the world appearing in the race each year. Punters can read all about them, their performances, and their jockeys in the Melbourne Cup form. These races are some of the longest running in Australian history, and have a rich background and history. The racing line-up includes Australia’s three richest horse races the Caulfield Cup, the Cox Plate and of course the Melbourne Cup. All of the champion horses to come out of Australian racing have made a name for themselves through their legendary performances in these races.

The Spring Carnival races are divided into five separate meetings, four of which are held by the chief metropolitan racing clubs in Victoria. Each mini-carnival or meeting is defined by and centres on one or more crucial Group status race and are listed below in order of when they take place.

- Caulfield Carnival held by the Melbourne Racing Club

- Geelong Carnival held by the Geelong racing club

- Moonee Valley Carnival held by the Moonee Valley Racing Club

- Flemington Spring Carnival held by the Victorian Racing Club

- Sandown Spring Carnival also held by the Melbourne Racing Club.

Below is a detailed breakdown of all the meetings that make up the Spring Racing Carnival, including what the major races taking place in each are.

SPRING CARNIVAL RACES – CAULFIELD CARNIVAL

The official start of the Spring Carnival is marked by the running of the Group 1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield. Two weeks later the top status racing continues with the Turnbull Stakes, another Group 1 event run over 2000 metres for four-year-olds and above at set weights and penalties. Following this are the three feature Group 1 races of the Caulfield Carnival.

The Caulfield Guineas held on the Saturday exactly three weeks before the Victoria Derby, is a set weights race for three-year-olds run over a distance of 1600 metres.

The Caulfield Thousand Guineas is held the Wednesday after the Caulfield Guineas, a race for three-year-old fillies it also has a track distance of 1600 metres.

Held the following Saturday is the highlight of the Caulfield meeting, the Caulfield Cup, which is the third richest horse race in the nation offering prize money of over $2.5 million. For three-year-olds and run over 2400 metres this race is considered a key lead-up and prime indicator for who will win and place in the Melbourne Cup

SPRING CARNIVAL RACES – GEELONG CARNIVAL

Officially held as part of the Spring Carnival, the Geelong Racing Club hosts the Geelong Cup on the Wednesday between the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate. This race, however, has only Group 3 status and so does not attract as many leading horses or attention from punters. Held on the outskirts of the city, it is the only group race held at Victoria’s country tracks.

SPRING CARNIVAL RACES – MOONEE VALLEY CARNIVAL

The Moonee Valley Carnival includes the premier weight for age horse race in Australia, the Cox Plate, which is held the Saturday after the Caulfield Cup. With prize money of over $3 million on offer, the Cox Plate is Australia’s second richest horse race. At 2040 metres it is also a distance race for three-year-olds and is the only southern hemisphere race included in the World Series Racing Championship, which is like the Grand Prix circuit for horse racing.

SPRING CARNIVAL RACES – FLEMINGTON SPRING CARNIVAL

The Flemington Spring Carnival, also referred to as the Cup Carnival or Cup Week is the pinnacle of the whole carnival, with its famous Melbourne Cup race that is held on day two of the four-day meet. The fact that this day is a public holiday emphasises the importance of the Melbourne Cup race not only to those involved in the horse racing industry, but for the Australian people and culture as a whole.

Cup Week consists of four elite race days:

Day 1 Saturday – AAMI Victoria Derby Day. The Victoria Derby Day is the biggest day in racing as it is the only race day in Australia where all the races have Group status. The feature race of Derby Day, the Victoria Derby, is a set weights race for three-year-olds run over 2500 metres. And is a staying test where the high performers often continue their success in the Melbourne Cup.

Day 2 Tuesday – Emirates Melbourne Cup Day. The leading horse race in Australia, the Melbourne Cup is the climax of the entire Spring Carnival. Run over 3200 metres the Melbourne Cup, with its $5 million prize money, is Australia’s richest horse race and the wealthiest handicap race in the world.

Day 3 Thursday – Crown Oaks Day features the VRC Oaks, a three-year-old fillies’ race with a distance of 2500 metres. Crown Oaks day is also known as ‘ladies day’ with Fashions on the Field taking place on this day too.

Day 4 Saturday – Emirates Stakes Day. The VRC Stakes, a 1600 metre dash forms part of Stakes Day and is run under quality handicap conditions. Not just for punters, Stakes day is considered as the Spring Racing Carnival’s ‘family day’, with a range of exciting entertainment events taking place alongside the horse races. It also marks the end of the Spring Carnival’s Group 1 racing.

SPRING CARNIVAL RACES – SANDOWN SPRING CARNIVAL

Though not as prominent or well known as the other meetings in the Spring Carnival, the Sandown races are still considered some of Australia’s finest from the lower status races. No Group 1 races are held after the VRC Stakes, and the two featured at Sandown are Group 2 and 3. These two final spring meetings are held by the Melbourne Racing Club after all the excitement of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Held at Sandown Park Racecourse, the two days in mid-November feature the Group 2 race the Sandown Classic and the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes which formally brings the Spring Racing Carnival to an end until the next year.