New South Wales features a fantastic array of horse racing events. Many of the biggest events feature rich purses that attract the best trainers and jockeys, resulting in exciting runs. The following competitions are some of the biggest in Australia; some have been running for well over a century. If you’re looking for some great horse racing events, these are the competitions to check out.
The Largest Racing Event in New South Wales
The biggest, richest event of the 2014 NSW horse racing season is The Championships. This series of races is put on by the Australian Turf Club, an organization that was born in 2011 when the Australian Jockey Club and the Sydney Turf Club were combined. Thoroughbreds run on the Royal Randwick, which recently underwent a $170 million renovation to modernize the facilities, which now include a luxurious, five-level grandstand and a tiered amphitheatre referred to as the “Theatre of the Horse.” New amenities include free Wi-Fi, a redone betting ring, and the largest outdoor LED screen in the southern hemisphere. This course was established in 1860, making it the longest standing horse race venue in Australia.
The races take place over two Saturdays, April 12th and April 19th. Ten different sprints provide racing action for horses of varying types and ages. These races are varying lengths, ranging from 1,200 metres to 3,200 metres. Total prize money is a minimum of $500,000 for a pair of 1,200-meter races, the Royal Sovereign and the Royal Randwick Stakes (the former is a sprint for two-year-old fillies, while the latter is a run for three-year-old horses). The biggest purse is $4,000,000 for the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a 2,000-metere race for horses three years and older. Some races that take place over this weekend have been run for well over a century. The Queen Elizabeth Stakes, for example, can be traced back to 1851, when it was referred to as the Queen’s Plate. The event was renamed in 1954 to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II. On the first day of The Championships, races for horses that are three years or older include The Star Doncaster Mile, a 1,600-metre race with a purse of $3,000,000, and the Darley TJ Smith Stakes, a 1,200-metre sprint with a purse of $2,500,000. Other races on this day include the Inglis Sires’ Produce Stakes, a 1,400-metre, Triple Crown race for two-year-old horses, with a purse of $1,000,000, and the BMW Australian Derby, a 2,400-metre race for three-year-old horses, with prize money that totals $2,000,000.
In addition to the Royal Randwick, Royal Sovereign, and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the second day of the event features three other competitions, all with purses of $1,000,000. Day two includes the Australian Oaks, a 2,400-metre race for three-year-old fillies, and the Queen of the Turf Stakes, a 1,600-metre run for mares and fillies three years and older. Finally, the Schweppes Sydney Cup, which also takes place on day two, started as the Jockey Club Handicap in 1862, changing names a couple of times before becoming the Sydney Cup. This 3,200-metre race is for three-year-old horses and has a total prize money of $500,000.
The Largest Purse for Two-Year-Old Horses
On Saturday, April 5th, the 2014 Golden Slipper Stakes takes place at the Rosehill Racecourse. This is the world’s richest race for two-year-old horses, with a purse totalling $3,5000,000. The Golden Slipper Stakes began in 1957 and has recently been dominated by horses trained by Gai Waterhouse, a hall-of-fame trainer whose horses have won the race five times over the past 13 years. Horses compete to gallop around the 1,200-metre course on their way to glory.
A Race for Horses of All Ages
The All Aged Stakes started in 1865 and is an event that allows horses as young as two to participate. This race takes place at the Randwick Racecourse on Saturday, April 26th and features a total purse of $400,000. The track is 1,400 metres and is known as a race in which favourites perform well, with seven of the last ten events finishing with odds-on winners.
Horse racing is often associated with royalty and is often referred to as the sport of kings. Despite the fact that horseracing is an expensive pursuit, it attracts people of all ages and incomes due to the beauty and power exhibited by the equine species. Competitions in New South Wales are some of the best and most exciting racing events in the world.