Australian Spring Racing Carnival

The Spring Racing Carnival is the country's biggest and most prestigious horse racing carnival, held annually both as the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival and Sydney Spring Racing Carnival. The Spring Racing Carnival is also a huge social event for non-racing fans, with thousands of patrons attending for all the glitz and glamour that the Spring Racing Carnival has to offer. The carnival features a number of Group 1 races, including the iconic Melbourne Cup, which is run over 3,200 metres and attracts international Group 1 grade horses.

For each of the races, I have included the race name, race distance, whether Group 1 or 2 etc, the horse entry conditions including Weight-For-Age where applicable, the prize money and of course the racecourse.

By now you should know that The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival is undoubtedly the biggest racing event on Australian soil. The most famous being the Melbourne Cup with the carnival making household names of so many horses, both domestic and international. The Melbourne Cup is a part of the 4-day Flemington Carnival which is the major event of the Melbourne Spring Carnival and as you will read features many important races. 

In Victoria the more well known races take place across 3 metropolitan racecourses, not just Flemington, but also Caulfield and Moonee Valley. But that all is to come later. Let's first look at New South Wales where there are 2 major racecourse hosting the key Spring Carnival races.

Sydney Spring Racing Carnival

Over a 200 year period, this carnival has grown from a few races, to a three day event to now two whole months. Following closely in stature to Melbourne, the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival features many high value races across multiple tracks.

Randwick Spring Racing Carnival

Date

Race Name

Status

Distance

Track

Prize Money

Last Winner

23/08/2025

Winx Stakes

Group 1

1,400m

Randwick

$1,000,000

Via Sistina

04/10/2025

Epsom Handicap

Group 1

1,600m

Randwick

$1,500,000

Ceolwulf

04/10/2025

The Metropolitan

Group 1

2,400m

Randwick

$750,000

Land Legend

04/10/2025

Flight Stakes

Group 1

1,600m

Randwick

$750,000

Lady Shenandoah

18/10/2025

King Charles III Stakes

Group 1

1,600m

Randwick

$5,000,000

Ceolwulf

18/10/2025

The Everest

Group 1

1,200m

Randwick

$20,000,000

Bella Nipotina

18/10/2025

The Kosciuszko

Not a Group 1

1,200m

Randwick

$2,000,000

Far Too Easy

18/10/2025

The Silver Eagle

Group 3

1,300m

Randwick

$1,000,000

Ostraka

25/10/2025

Spring Champion Stakes

Group 1

2,000m

Randwick

$2,000,000

El Castello

25/10/2025

The Invitation

Group 2

1,400m

Randwick

$2,000,000

Belclare

04/11/2025

The Big Dance

Not a Group 1

1,600m

Randwick

$3,000,000

Gringotts

Rosehill Spring Racing Carnival

Date

Race Name

Status

Distance

Track

Prize Money

Last Winner

27/09/2025

Golden Rose Stakes

Group 1

1,400m

Rosehill

$1,000,000

Broadsiding

01/11/2025

The Golden Eagle

Not a Group 1

1,500m

Rosehill

$10,000,000

Lake Forest

01/11/2025

Rosehill Gold Cup

Group 3

2,000m

Rosehill

$750,000

Fawkner Park

01/11/2025

Russell Balding Stakes

Not a Group 1

1,300m

Rosehill

$3,000,000

Bella Nipotina

08/11/2025

Golden Gift

Group 3

1,100m

Rosehill

$1,000,000

North England

08/11/2025

The Five Diamonds

Listed Race

1,800m

Rosehill

$2,000,000

Pericles

New South Wales Spring Racing Carnival - Other Tracks

Date

Race Name

Status

Distance

Track

Prize Money

Last Winner

15/11/2025

The Hunter

Group 2

1,300m

Newcastle

$1,000,000

Briasa

22/11/2025

The Gong

Group 3

1,600m

Kembla Grange

$1,000,000

Gringotts

Yes, you read correctly, a race with $15m in prize money, really put Sydney on the map. The Everest which started in 2017 is Australia´s richest race and the world´s richest turf race.

Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens are the primary hosts for the Sydney Spring Carnival. The timing allows for racers to come to the NSW events before heading down to Victoria for the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. However, some of the races including the $2m Five Diamonds have been put on the card to detract trainers from sending their horses to Victoria.

The George Main Stakes and the Golden Stakes races are typically events for dual carnival hopefuls. 
The addition of the Everest and the Gold Eagle have really allowed The Sydney Spring Racing Carnival to rival the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.

Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival

The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival contains racing from not just Melbourne´s racetracks but also Bendigo and Geelong, both holding Group 3 races. However here, we will just focus on the Melbourne meetings. The Spring Racing Carnival officially starts with the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes Day at Flemington, one week after the AFL Grand Final and ends in mid-November at Sandown.

The Melbourne Racing Club holds racing at the Caulfield Carnival, the Moonee Valley Carnival and the (Flemington) Melbourne Cup Carnival which of course attracts the most punters’ attention.

Flemington Spring Racing Carnival

Date

Race Name

Status

Distance

Track

Prize Money

Last Winner

13/09/2025

Makybe Diva Stakes

Group 1

1,600m

Flemington

$750,000

Mr Brightside

04/10/2025

Turnbull Stakes

Group 1

2,000m

Flemington

$750,000

Via Sistina

01/11/2025

Victoria Derby

Group 1

2,500m

Flemington

$2,000,000

Goldrush Guru

01/11/2025

Coolmore Stud Stakes

Group 1

1,200m

Flemington

$2,000,000

Switzerland

01/11/2025

Empire Rose Stakes

Group 1

1,600m

Flemington

$1,000,000

Atishu

04/11/2025

Melbourne Cup

Group 1

3,200m

Flemington

$7,750,000

Knight's Choice

06/11/2025

VRC Oaks

Group 1

2,500m

Flemington

$1,000,000

Treasurethe Moment

08/11/2025

Champions Stakes

Group 1

2,000m

Flemington

$3,000,000

Via Sistina

08/11/2025

Champions Sprint

Group 1

1,200m

Flemington

$3,000,000

Sunshine In Paris

08/11/2025

Champions Mile

Group 1

1,600m

Flemington

$3,000,000

Mr Brightside

Caulfield Spring Racing Carnival

Date

Race Name

Status

Distance

Track

Prize Money

Last Winner

30/08/2025

Memsie Stakes

Group 1

1,400m

Caulfield

$750,000

Pinstriped

20/09/2025

Underwood Stakes

Group 1

1,800m

Caulfield

$750,000

Buckaroo

11/10/2025

Caulfield Guineas

Group 1

1,600m

Caulfield

$3,000,000

Private Life

11/10/2025

Toorak Handicap

Group 1

1,600m

Caulfield

$1,000,000

Antino

11/10/2025

Might and Power Stakes

Group 1

2,000m

Caulfield

$1,000,000

Deny Knowledge

18/10/2025

Caulfield Cup

Group 1

2,400m

Caulfield

$5,000,000

Duke De Sessa

15/11/2025

Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes

Group 1

1,400m

Caulfield

$1,000,000

Kimochi

15/11/2025

Thousand Guineas

Group 1

1,600m

Caulfield

$1,500,000

Another Prophet

Moonee Valley Spring Racing Carnival

Date

Race Name

Status

Distance

Track

Prize Money

Last Winner

06/09/2025

Moir Stakes

Group 1

1,000m

Moonee Valley

$750,000

Mornington Glory

26/09/2025

Manikato Stakes

Group 1

1,200m

Moonee Valley

$2,000,000

Southport Tycoon

25/10/2025

Cox Plate

Group 1

2,040m

Moonee Valley

$5,000,000

Via Sistina

Victorian Spring Racing Carnival - Other Tracks

Date

Race Name

Status

Distance

Track

Prize Money

Last Winner

22/10/2025

Geelong Cup

Group 3

2,400m

Geelong

$500,000

Onesmoothoperator

29/10/2025

Bendigo Cup

Group 3

2,400m

Bendigo

$500,000

Sea King