As the seasons change the best racehorses move from state to state, and in spring the main racing is held in Victoria. Victoria’s Spring Racing Carnival features 50 days of world-class thoroughbred racing in October and November.
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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.
Feature Spring Racing Carnival Events
| Race Name | Racecourse | Distance | Age | Sex | Weight |
| Turnbull Stakes | Flemington | 2000m | 4YO+ | Open | sw |
| Caulfield Guineas | Caulfield | 1600m | 3YO | Open | sw |
| Yalumba Stakes | Caulfield | 2000m | 3YO+ | Open | wfa |
| Toorak Handicap | Caulfield | 1600m | Open | Open | hcp |
| The Thousand Guineas | Caulfield | 1600m | 3YO | Fillies | sw |
| Caulfield Cup | Caulfield | 2400m | Open | Open | hcp |
| W S Cox Plate | Moonee Valley | 2040m | 3YO+ | Open | wfa |
| Coolmore Stud Stakes | Flemington | 1200m | 3yo | Open | sw |
| LKS MacKinnon Stakes | Flemington | 2000m | Open | Open | wfa |
| Victoria Derby | Flemington | 2500m | 3YO | Open | sw |
| Myer Classic | Flemington | 1600m | 3YO+ | F&M | wfa |
| Melbourne Cup | Flemington | 3200m | Open | Open | hcp |
| VRC Oaks | Flemington | 2500m | 3YO | Fillies | sw |
| Emirates Stakes | Flemington | 1600m | Open | Open | hcp |
| Patinack Farm Classic | Flemington | 1200m | Open | Open | wfa |
Caulfield Racecourse – Spring Racing Carnival
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.
Moonee Valley Racecourse – Spring Racing Carnival
The Mooee 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.
Flemington Racecourse – Spring Racing Carnival
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’.
