Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival

The Melbourne Spring Carnival, which begins in October and runs through to November, is the most prestigious of all the Racing Carnivals in Australia – as you might expect when the headline act is the Melbourne Cup.

With some of the best racing across the globe taking place during the carnival festival, as well as huge crowds and an international flavour too, it is easy to see why the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival is regarded as Australia’s biggest and best.

The Key Races

The Group 1 Melbourne Cup, run at Flemington, is the most prestigious race taking place during the Festival. A race which attracts horses from across the world, it is held on the first Tuesday in November and brings the entire country to a standstill. In 2010, more than 110,000 racegoers were at Flemington to witness French raider Americain’s victory. It is ably backed up by a variety of group races during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Elsewhere in the Melbourne Spring Carnival, the Caulfield Cup in mid-October is a Group 1 race which many trainers use as a prep for their Melbourne Cup contenders. There is also Group 1 action throughout the carnival courtesy of races such as the Victoria Derby and the Cox Plate.

Although the build up to the Melbourrne Spring Carnival begins back in late July or early August with numerous Group races including the Group 1 Underwood Stakes, Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes and Manikato Stakes, the 2011 Carnival get underway at beginning of October this year and runs through to mid-November.

Turnbull Stakes Day at Flemington on Saturday 1st October, a day which includes four Group races, kicks off the Spring Carnival and it last for six weeks before concluding on Saturday 12th November at Sandown with the running of Sandown Classic Day, where a stellar card features a further four Group races. In between, the likes of the Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup help to attract upwards of 700,000 racegoers during the carnival.