Australian Spring Racing Carnival 2013
Thursday, August 15th, 2013
Although the UK is well on its way to autumn, the Australian spring is in full swing – and this is an exciting time for horse racing fans, because the Spring Racing Carnival is a pretty big deal. The Carnival, held annually both within Melbourne and throughout Victoria, is Australia’s premier thoroughbred racing event and includes most of the year’s Group One races, making it the most competitive series in the Australian horse racing calendar.
The Underwood Stakes, a weight-for-age race held annually at Melbourne’s Caulfield racecourse, take place this year on the 21st of September. The race is over a distance of 1800 metres, with $350,000 in prize money up for grabs. The longer 1800 metre distance means this early race is often a good indicator of form for 2000 metre and 2400 metre races later in the Carnival, with two of the last three winners going on to win the Cox Plate. That makes this a key race to watch for serious bettors.
However, the biggest and most highly anticipated races of the Carnival are undoubtedly the BMW Caulfield Cup, the Sportingbet Cox Plate and the Emirates Melbourne Cup.
The BMW Caulfield Cup, first held in 1879, carries a prize fund of $2.5 million, making it the richest 2400 metre handicap race in the world. Open to horses three years old and above, this year’s race will take place on the 19th of October, with the current favourites being Royal Descent at odds of 10/1, Jet Away at 12/1 and Fiorente at 12/1.
The Sportingbet W.S. Cox Plate, taking place this year on the 26th of October, is a weight-for-age race for horses three years old and over – with prize money of $3.05 million. Run by the Moonee Valley Racing Club, the race takes place over 2,040 metres – first held in 1922 in honour of the club’s founder, W.S. Cox. The current favourites are Puissance De Lune at 5/1 odds, It’s A Dundeel at 5/1 and Super Cool at 11/2.
But the ultimate gauntlet of the Spring Racing Carnival is the 3,200 metre Emirates Melbourne Cup. Running this year on the 5th of November, and with prize money of $6.2 million, this is the Carnival’s richest race, well-deserving of its reputation as “the race that stops a nation”™. First held in 1861, the Melbourne Cup is one of Australia’s oldest and most prestigious races and is a handicap race for horses three years old and over. Current favourites are Puissance De Lune at odds of 5/1, Fiorente at 10/1 and Sea Moon at 12/1.
In total the Spring Racing Carnivals spans 65 days with races across the entire state of Victoria, including many high profiles national and smaller local races at a variety of tracks and with total prize money in excess of $50 million.
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