Horse racing is one of the most popular sports in Australia. There, the Melbourne Cup is celebrated every year, and it has become one of the most popular horse races worldwide. In Australia, horse racing is the third most-watched sport, with the other two being rugby and Australian rules football.
Australians truly enjoy betting on horse races. Although there are many events scheduled each year, some horse races are more famous than others. This article will guide you through the biggest horse races in Australia:
Melbourne Cup
Of course, the first place goes to the Melbourne Cup. After all, it is a worldwide famous event that gathers thousands of fans every year.
As of 2020, the prize of the race was about A$8,000,000. This event was first celebrated in 1861.
This event takes place at the Flemington Racecourse every first Tuesday of November. Hence, if you’re visiting Australia around that time of the year, perhaps visiting this racecourse can be an excellent opportunity to get to know how thrilling horse races can be.
There are plenty of betting offers and opportunities every year in the Melbourne Cup.
W.S Cox Plate
The W.S Cox Plate is the second most important horse racing event in Australia. Any thoroughbred horse can enter the competition, but only the most skilled can make it to the finish line. The name of the championship comes from William Samuel Cox, who happens to be the founder of the club.
This event is scheduled one month before the Melbourne Cup in October. Some of the most skilled horses in the nation compete against each other at the Moonee Valley Race Course. It extends through 2,040 meters, and a total of 14 horses are accepted into the race.
Caulfield Cup
The Caulfield Cup is one of Australia’s most important horse racing events, often referred to as the most prestigious race around the world, with thousands of fans attending every year. The first edition of the event was in 1879.
Typically, it is scheduled in mid-October, and it takes place at the Caulfield Racecourse. It has been like that for over 100 years, and there aren’t any plants for it to change soon.
This horse race has 18 participants each time. The prize consists of A$5,000,000. In the past, it was only open to people from Australia and New Zealand. However, it now welcomes participants from all around the world.
The Golden Slipper Stakes
The next race is the Golden Slipper Stakes. It is one of the events that take place early in the year, specifically in March. It takes place at Rosehill Racecourse, located in Sydney, Australia.
This Group One event only admits two-year-olds. The race has a total distance of 1,200 meters. It is often referred to as the world’s most prestigious race for two-year-old thoroughbreds. Furthermore, it is one of Sydney’s most popular events every year.
Queen Elizabeth Stakes
Next up, we have the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, which happens to be a Group One race that also takes place in Sydney, Australia. It is always held at the Royal Randwick Racecourse and is the third most important WFA race in this nation.
The first edition of the career happened in 1851, and it has an extension of about 2,000 meters. It takes place one month after The Golden Slipper Stakes, in April.
Victoria Derby
The Victoria Derby has been ongoing for more than 150 years. It was first celebrated in 1855, and since then, it has taken place every year during the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
It is one of the oldest races in the world, and it grants the winner a total prize of A$2 million.
All-Star Mile
The All-Star Mile is another popular horse racing event in Australia, especially because the public gets to choose the horses that will participate in the competition. It only admits competitors from Australia and New Zealand, though. As of 2022, the prize fund was A$5 million.
It is the only race in Australia where fans get to choose the participants. Usually, the racetrack where the event takes place is rotated between the three premier tracks of Melbourne, including the Caulfield, Flemington, and The Valley.
FAQs
What is the biggest horse race in Australia?
The biggest horse race in Australia is the Melbourne Cup, which is held annually on the first Tuesday of November at the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria.
The Melbourne Cup is a part of the Australian horse racing calendar and is considered to be the most prestigious horse race in Australia. The race is known as “the race that stops a nation” due to its popularity and the fact that it is a public holiday in Melbourne.
The Melbourne Cup attracts some of the best Thoroughbred horses from around the world, has a purse of several million dollars, and has a long and rich history, dating back to its first running in 1861, and is a highlight of the Australian horse racing season.
When did horse racing start in Australia?
Horse racing in Australia has a long and rich history, dating back to the early years of settlement. The first horses arrived in Australia in 1788 along with the First Fleet, and horse racing quickly became a popular pastime among early settlers.
The first recorded horse race in Australia took place in Hyde Park, Sydney in 1810, and from there, horse racing continued to grow in popularity throughout the 19th century.
Today, horse racing remains a popular sport in Australia, with numerous Australian horse races held throughout the year, including the Melbourne Cup, the Cox Plate, and the Golden Slipper. The sport has a significant economic impact in Australia, generating billions of dollars in revenue each year and providing employment for thousands of people.
How many horse races in Australia per year?
According to the latest available data from Statista, there are thousands of horse races held in Australia each year. In the 2019-2020 racing season, there were a total of around 19.4 thousand horse races in Australia, including thoroughbred races at clubs, racetracks, and meetings.
These races are held at various venues across the country, including major racecourses such as Flemington, Randwick, and Caulfield, as well as smaller tracks in regional areas.
Horse racing is a popular sport in Australia, with millions of people attending races and placing bets on the outcomes of races each year. The sport has a significant economic impact in Australia, generating billions of dollars in revenue and providing employment for thousands of people in the racing and related industries.
What is the longest horse race in Australia?
The longest horse race in Australia is the Jericho Cup, which is held annually at the Warrnambool Racecourse in Victoria. The Jericho Cup is a 4600-meter (approximately 3 miles) flat race that is run over the Grand Annual Steeplechase course.
The race was first run in 2018 and is named after the Jericho Cup, which was a race held during World War I in Palestine. The modern-day Jericho Cup is open to horses aged three years and older, and is restricted to jumps jockeys.
The Jericho Cup has quickly become a popular event in the Australian horse racing calendar, and has a total prize pool of over $300,000. The race is held annually in early December, and is a unique and challenging test of endurance for both horses and jockeys.
Conclusion
Horse racing is one of the most popular sports in Australia. Although there are diverse events scheduled every year, this list has described some of the most exciting and popular events in the Australian territory.
These races offer tons of opportunities to bettors when it comes to betting. Each of these events is unique, and although you can keep up with them online or by watching TV, experiencing these races in person is an experience that most people look forward to every year.
