The Spring Carnival incorporates 79 race meetings made
up of meetings held by the metropolitan clubs, where group one races
take place, and also the country clubs, which hold their own Cup meetings.
The Spring Racing Carnival includes 21 Country Cups in Ararat, Avoca,
Ballan, Ballarat, Benalla, Bendigo, Cranbourne, Donald, Dunkeld, Geelong,
Horsham, Kyneton, Mansfield, Manangatang, Moe, Murtoa, Sale, Seymour,
St. Arnaud, Werribee and Whycheproof
.
Winners of the Melbourne Cup can come from some of these Country Cups
and they all offer a unique raceday experience with great support from
the local communites.
In Melbourne there are carnivals at Caulfield, Moonee Valley and Flemington.
The Caulfield Carnival consists of three race meetings at Caulfield
held by the Melbourne Racing Club, each with major group one races.
The Caulfield
Guineas is held on the Saturday three weeks before the Victoria
Derby. The guineas are a set-weights race for three year-olds. Other
group one races are held on this day. The Caulfield Thousand Guineas
for three-year-old fillies is held on the Wednesday following the Saturday
Caulfield Guineas. The Caulfield
Cup is held on the Saturday on the weekend following the Guineas
meeting.
The Moonee Valley Racing Club holds the Moonee Valley
Carnival which is famous for its weight-for-age Cox
Plate race, the meeting which is held on the Saturday following
the Caulfield Cup. This is the greatest WFA race held in Australia.
There is also a mid-week race meeting which is held by the club, either
the week before or the week following the Plate weekend.
The Flemington Spring Carnival held by the Victoria Racing
Club attracts the most media attention. The Victoria
Derby is held on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup. It is a
set-weights three-year-old race for the male horses.
There are also other major races held on this day as well, making it
the biggest day in racing. The famous Melbourne
Cup handicap race is held on the first Tuesday in November and is
a public holiday in Melbourne, but the Cup is witnessed by those all
around Australia as well as internationally and is often referred to
as the race that stops the nation.
The VRC
Oaks race is held on the Thurdsay following the Cup. It is a three-year-old
fillies race, and is traditionally it has beeen known as 'ladies' day.
'The
Stakes is held on the Saturday following the Oaks, and is traditionally
it has beeen known as 'family day'.
In 2007 the Spring Racing Carnival was officially launched in Melbourne
on Wednesday 3 October and concluded with the running of the James and
Son Ballarat Cup on Wednesday 21 November 2007.
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