AUSTRALIAN RACES

The Spring Carnival is the highlight of the Australian horse racing calendar, attracting competitors from all over the world. Melbourne Cup Day, which is the highlight of the four-day Carnival, has been declared a public holiday throughout Victoria.  The Melbourne Cup is the richest handicap race in the world, worth over $5 million and attracting crowds exceeding 100,000 people to Flemington Racecourse. The Melbourne Cup is held on the first Tuesday in November each year. It’s a Group 1 event run over 3200- metres. The Melbourne Cup is Australia’s most famous horse race, and is truly “The Race that Stops a Nation”.

The Melbourne Cup Carnival is comprised of four unique race days: Derby Day is considered one of the most prestigious single days of the Australian racing calendar.

- AAMI Victoria Derby Day: AAMI Victoria Derby Day lifts the curtain on the Victoria Racing Club’s world-renown four day Melbourne Cup Carnival. Traditionally a day for racing purists, Derby Day is considered one of the most prestigious single days of racing in Australasia, featuring a card of nine group races.

- Emirates Melbourne Cup Day: ‘The Race that Stops a Nation’ is the focal point of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Crown Oaks Day is a traditional ladies day filled with fashion and celebrations.

- Crown Oaks Day:  On Crown Oaks Day Flemington Racecourse becomes a sea of well dressed racegoers as women (and men) dress in theirmost stylish feminine outfits for their moment in the sun.  Plenty of colour, delicatefabrics andsoft styles usually dominate on this day.  It is an ‘unwritten law’ among Melbourne Cup Carnival’s female regulars to save their best outfit for Crown Oaks Day.

- Emirates Stakes Day: The Melbourne Cup Carnival concludes with Emirates Stakes Day featuring Victoria ’s premier 1600m event, the Group One Emirates Stakes. Emirates Stakes Day is the fastest growing day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival with a record crowd of  78,158 attending in 2006. The meeting has a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere and is recognised as the Carnival’s true “Family Day”.