Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival 2015

Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival 2015 – February, March, April 2015

The Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival is traditionally held in February and March each year and revolves around the Victoria Racing Club (Flemington), the Melbourne Racing Club (Caulfield) and the Moonee Valley Racing Club (Moonee Valley).

The Carnival commences on 14^th February with the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes at Caulfield and is completed on 4^th April. There are nine Group 1 races, ten Group 2 and sixteen Group 3 races across the nine meetings.

The autumn carnival in Melbourne is not as high profile as in Spring but does have a number of major races that have great history and quality in Group 1 meetings.

Caulfield has as it’s major race for the autumn on February 28^th when the Group 1 $1,000,000 Blue Diamond Stakes for two-year-old gallopers. It also hosts the Group 1 Futurity Stakes and the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate on the same day.

Flemington hosts the Group 1 Lightning Stakes on 21^st February. It also hosts the Group 1 Australian Guineas for 3 year olds on Saturday 7^th March, then on Super Saturday featuring the Group 1 $1,000,000 Australian Cup and the Group 1 $1,000,000 Newmarket Handicap along with a host of other major Group 2 and 3 races like the VRC Sires Produce for 2 year olds.

Moonee Valley will host the last Group 1 race of the Melbourne autumn when the $500,000 William Reid Stakes is held on Friday night 27^th March. Moonee Valley also hosts the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes on 13^th March.

Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival 2015 – February, March, April 2015

The Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival takes place from mid-February, through March and culminating in April each year in Sydney. The Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival has grown in profile in recent years, best reflected by massive increases in prize money as the ATC and STC attract and target Racing interests in Hong Kong, Singapore, China and the Middle East in the UAE, in particular Dubai.

The Carnival kicks off on the 14^th February but Group 1 racing commences on the 28^th February with the $500,000 Chipping Norton Stakes, Saturday 7^th March $600,000 Randwick Guineas, the $500,000 Canterbury Stakes and on the 14^th March the $600,000 Coolmore Stud Classic.

Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club have changed the Sydney autumn carnival in recent times, to introduce a two day ‘The Championships’, that has prize money of more than $18 million over two massive race days at Randwick.

The races that make up The Championships, held across two consecutive Saturdays in April at Royal Randwick racecourse, have a total of eight Group 1 events attracting the best gallopers from Australia and around the world.

The first day of The Championships is on Saturday 4th April 2015, which will feature the $3 million Group 1 Doncaster Handicap, the $2.5 million Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes, the Group $2 million AJC Derby for 3 year olds and the AJC Sires Produce also Group 1 and worth $1 million.

On the 11^th April it is the $4 million Group 1 AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the Group 1 $1 million Australian Oaks, the $1 million Group 1 Queen of the Turf Stakes and the $1 million Group 1 Sydney Cup.

Preceding these meetings, on the 21^st March is the Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill racecourse, worth $3.5 million and the richest two year old race in the world. At the same meeting, there a four other Group 1 races at the meeting of the 21^st March, the $1 million George Ryder Stakes, the $500,000 Rosehill Guineas, the $500,000 Ravnet Stakes and the $350,000 The Galaxy.

One week later, on Saturday 28^th March at Rosehil, the $2.25M The BMW is the major race of the day along with the Group 1 $400,000 Storm Queen Stakes and there are also six Group 2 and 3 races.
headlines another huge day of racing at Rosehill.

The Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival concludes on the 18^th April with the Group 1 All Aged Stakes and the $400,000 AJC Stakes.