Australian Winter Racing Carnival

It can´t be understated that Racing Carnivals are big events in the Australian horse racing scene and showcase top tracks and talented runners from around the country which in turn draw big crowds of spectators to the top racecourses.
As we close out the year, we come to the Winter Racing Carnival which is held Brisbane and is highlighted by the Stradbroke Handicap. Whatever the season, there is an Australian racing carnival to enjoy!
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.
Before heading off to Brisbane it is worth noting what happens in Victoria and New South Wales at this time of the year …

New South Wales Winter Racing Carnival

During the winter racing period there are numerous races Listed, Other and Groups 2 and 3 races across New South Wales and Victoria, but there only a few races worth noting for the New South Wales Winter Racing Carnival in particular.

Race Name	Date	Status	Distance	Track	Prize Money	Last Winner
The Coast	10/05/2025	Not a Group 1	1,600m	Gosford	$500,000	Magnaspin

Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival

May and June are two of the cooler months of the year where Brisbane attracts racing attention at, primarily, the Doomben and Eagle Farm racecourses. The Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival also known as the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival or the Stradbroke Season features the Stradbroke Handicap, a highly prized open handicap race. These are the highly prized races during the winter racing carnival:

Date	Race Name	Status	Distance	Track	Prize Money	Last Winner
27/04/2025	The Archer	Not a Group 1	1,300m	Rockhampton	$1,000,000	Namazu
17/05/2025	Doomben 10,000	Group 1	1,200m	Doomben	$1,500,000	Bella Nipotina
24/05/2025	Doomben Cup	Group 1	2,000m	Doomben	$1,000,000	Bois D'argent
31/05/2025	Kingsford Smith Cup	Group 1	1,300m	Eagle Farm	$1,000,000	I Wish I Win
31/05/2025	Queensland Derby	Group 1	2,400m	Eagle Farm	$1,000,000	Warmonger
07/06/2025	Queensland Oaks	Group 1	2,200m	Eagle Farm	$700,000	Socks Nation
14/06/2025	Stradbroke Handicap	Group 1	1,400m	Eagle Farm	$3,000,000	Stefi Magnetica
14/06/2025	J J Atkins	Group 1	1,600m	Eagle Farm	$1,000,000	Broadsiding
14/06/2025	The Q22	Not a Group 1	2,200m	Eagle Farm	$1,200,000	Fawkner Park
28/06/2025	Tattersall's Tiara	Group 1	1,400m	Eagle Farm	$700,000	Bella Nipotina

As you will see the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap is by far the richest race of the Winter Carnival. The race was first run in 1890 and is named after Lord Stradbroke who was the creator of the weight-for-age system in racing.

It has been run at Eagle Farm every year except one, when for the 2014/15 carnival it was moved to Doomben, Brisbane's other major racecourse due to track improvement work at Eagle Farm. During this winter period there are also various Listed and Group 2 Cup races including the Morton Cup (G2 $200k), Brisbane Cup (G2 $400k) and Caloundra Cup (Listed $300k).