Top 5 Horse Racing Events Across Australia
Wednesday, December 31st, 2014
Recently we took a look at the greatest Australian racing horses, which you can read more about here, and now it’s time to stir up public opinion again – but this time we’re looking at the greatest horse racing events across Australia. There’s no doubt that the quality of Australian Horse Racing events is at an all-time high. Let’s begin the rundown at number 5!
5. Annual Birdsville Racing Carnival
Birdsville’s busiest week of the year occurs in September, with over 60,000 visiting racegoers from all corners of Australia heading to this tiny outback town. The Annual Birdsville Racing Carnival takes place over the first Friday and Saturday of September. The first meeting was held here back in 1882 and, since then, it has grown into a 13-race programme with prize money in excess of $140,000! The track itself is on a claypan alongside the side dunes, with jockeys racing for the world renowned XXXX Gold Birdsville Cup. The quality of the horse racing is not what makes this event one of the best – it’s the carnival atmosphere, the week-long entertainment and the sheer experience of the great Australian outback!
4. Victoria Derby
Held on the first day of the annual Spring Racing Carnival, it may not match the enthusiasm the Melbourne Cup receives, but the Victoria Derby has a longer history, dating back to 1855! A Flemington Racecourse record was set during the 2006 Victoria Derby, when 130,000 spectators showed up! A Group One race for three-year-old horses in a distance of 2,500 metres, the winning horse would pocket a cool $1,500,000.
3. The Perth Cup
Western Australia’s premier thoroughbred racing event is held at the esteemed Ascot Racecourse on New Year’s Day annually. The Perth Cup headlines the prestigious Perth Summer Racing Carnival with a huge crowd of over 35,000. The race itself is run under open handicap conditions and is a staying test run of over 2400 at a notoriously difficult course, with stakes set at a generous $400,000.
2. Golden Slipper Stakes
The Sydney Autumn Carnival warms up Sydney with a celebration of world class racing, fashion and entertainment! Step aside Australian Derby – it’s all about the Golden Slipper Stakes. The world’s richest race for two-year-olds, the race held at Rosehill Racecourse every April offers the winner a massive $3,500,000. This Group One race is run over a distance of 1200 metres under a set weight. If this race lacks anything it’s probably history, as it was inaugurated in 1957.
1. Melbourne Cup
It simply had to be the Melbourne Cup! The Melbourne Cup is more than just a horse race – it stops the nation and is a public holiday in the city of Melbourne. The crown jewel of the epic Spring Carnival, with crowds of more than 100,000 descending on Flemington Racecourse, a television audience of more than 2.5 million and a $6,000,000 purse, it’s difficult not to buy into the hype. Once a year, punters are out in force for this event, with Cup sweeps the norm for every office – so you really have no excuse not to get involved in our fantastic sweepstakes. The whole country comes to a standstill at 3pm on Cup day, don’t be the only one to miss out!
If you ever get the chance to go to any of these events, we urge you to take it – you won’t want to miss out on the excitement, the tradition, the entertainment and of course seeing your Panda Sweeps horse selection take the win by a length!
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