As the flowers blossom, Australia’s southeast cities welcome some incredible race meetings. With the continued growth of Australian horse racing and prize money increasing in the past few years, the world will be watching. A fabulous selection of racedays at Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens in Sydney as well as at Victoria’s Caulfield Racecourse all build up to the spectacular Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington Racecourse.
Sydney’s stunning Royal Randwick Racecourse has already seen Anamoe become only the second horse this century to be a Group 1 winner at aged 2, 3, and 4 when he won the Winx Stakes on 20 August. After City Tattersalls Club Cup Day on 3 September, the racecourse will be readying itself for the fabulous Sydney Everest Carnival and all the fantastic racedays it has to offer. The Carnival is an annual celebration of Australian thoroughbred racing held across just over a month – from September to early November - of various racedays at Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens racecourses.
At Royal Randwick, there’s Fujitsu General George Main Stakes Day (17 September) kicking everything off, followed by TAB Epsom Day (1 October), Silver Eagle Day (8 October), the monumental Everest Day (15 October), Moët and Chandon Spring Champions Stakes Day (22 October), and The Big Dance on Cup Day (1 November) when racegoers can enjoy live racing at Royal Randwick while joining in with the celebrations of the Melbourne Cup at Flemington. Also sitting in the suburbs of Sydney, Rosehill Gardens offers 3 racedays as part of the Everest Carnival: Chandon Golden Rose Day (24 September), Golden Eagle Day (29 October), and Five Diamonds Ladies Day (5 November).
Situated in the southern suburbs of Melbourne, Caulfield Racecourse hosts its most prestigious meeting in the week of 8-15 October. The Caulfield Cup Carnival has racing taking place on 3 days across the week and is the ideal excuse to visit the beautiful home of the Melbourne Racing Club to celebrate Australian racing at "The Heath". The first Saturday is Caulfield Guineas Day, the Wednesday is Thousand Guineas Day, and the second Saturday (the last day of the meet) is Caulfield Cup Day. Tickets start at just AUD $30 so bring your nearest and dearest to cheer on the runners and riders and delight in all the entertainment, food, and fun!
It is all building up to the big one - “the race that stops a nation” - as Australia stands still and holds its breath to watch the Melbourne Cup. Surrounding the richest 2-mile handicap in the world (which takes place on 1 November) is a vibrant week-long festival including 4 days of racing action with Group 1 races like the Victoria Derby (29 October), the Melbourne Cup, the Kennedy Oaks (3 November), and the Mackinnon Stakes (5 November).
There is a vast range of ticket types for the Melbourne Cup Carnival with experiences to suit racegoers of all ages and interests. From general admission where you can wander through the public areas of the course to the incredible stands with panoramic views of the track and the Melbourne skyline to delectable dining experiences, there really is something for everyone. As Melbourne Cup Day is a public holiday for those working in the Melbourne metropolitan area and other parts of Victoria, the race and the meeting really capture the interest of locals and the global audience alike.
Check out horse racing fixtures here where you can filter your search by map area!