Australian Horse Racing Calendar
Bets.com.au is home to a complete guide to the upcoming major horse racing fixtures, events and Group 1 racing in Australia.
Our Australian Horse Racing Calendar below ensures you don't miss the biggest races in Australia and abroad, from the Melbourne Cup to Royal Ascot.
We have a full list of the Group 1 racing in Australia and more, with our horse racing calendar your go-to guide to what is coming up in the weeks and months ahead.
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Upcoming Races
- Date Race Name State Prize Money Distance Track
February 2025
- Sat 15 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (Group 1) Melbourne Autumn Carnival VIC $1,000,000 1000 metres Flemington
- Sat 22 Futurity Stakes (Group 1) Melbourne Autumn Carnival VIC $500,000 1400 metres Caulfield
- Sat 22 Chipping Norton Stakes (Group 1) Sydney Autumn Carnival NSW $600,000 1600 metres Randwick
- Sat 22 Blue Diamond Stakes (Group 1) Melbourne Autumn Carnival VIC $1,500,000 1200 metres Caulfield
- Sat 22 Surround Stakes (Group 1) Sydney Autumn Carnival NSW $500,000 1400 metres Randwick
- Sat 22 Oakleigh Plate (Group 1) Melbourne Autumn Carnival VIC $500,000 1100 metres Caulfield
March 2025
- Sat 01 Canterbury Stakes (Group 1) Sydney Autumn Carnival NSW $500,000 1300 metres Randwick
- Sat 01 Randwick Guineas (Group 1) Sydney Autumn Carnival NSW $1,000,000 1600 metres Randwick
- Sat 01 Australian Guineas (Group 1) Melbourne Autumn Carnival VIC $750,000 1600 metres Flemington
- Sat 08 Coolmore Classic (Group 1) Sydney Autumn Carnival NSW $600,000 1500 metres Rosehill
- Sat 08 Newmarket Handicap (Group 1) Melbourne Autumn Carnival VIC $1,500,000 1200 metres Flemington
- Mon 10 Adelaide Cup (Group 2) Adelaide Racing Carnival SA $400,000 3200 metres Morphettville
- Sat 15 Ranvet Stakes (Group 1) Sydney Autumn Carnival NSW $700,000 2000 metres Rosehill
- Sat 15 George Ryder Stakes (Group 1) Sydney Autumn Carnival NSW $1,000,000 1500 metres Rosehill
- Sat 15 Rosehill Guineas (Group 1) Sydney Autumn Carnival NSW $600,000 2000 metres Rosehill
- Sat 15 William Reid Stakes (Group 1) Melbourne Autumn Carnival VIC $500,000 1200 metres Moonee Valley
- Sat 15 Golden Slipper (Group 1) Sydney Autumn Carnival NSW $3,500,000 1200 metres Rosehill
- Sat 15 All-Star Mile (Group 1) Melbourne Autumn Carnival VIC $5,000,000 1600 metres Moonee Valley
- Sat 15 The Galaxy (Group 1) Sydney Autumn Carnival NSW $350,000 1100 metres Rosehill
- Sat 22 Australian Cup (Group 1) Melbourne Autumn Carnival VIC $1,500,000 2000 metres Flemington
- Sat 22 Vinery Stud Stakes (Group 1) Sydney Autumn Carnival NSW $500,000 2000 metres Rosehill
- Sat 22 Tancred Stakes (Group 1) Sydney Autumn Carnival NSW $1,5000,000 2400 metres Rosehill
- Sat 29 Inglis Sires' (Group 1) The Championships NSW $1,000,000 1400 metres Randwick
- Sat 29 Australian Derby (Group 1) The Championships NSW $2,000,000 2400 metres Randwick
- Sat 29 TJ Smith Stakes (Group 1) The Championships NSW $2,500,000 1200 metres Randwick
- Sat 29 Doncaster Mile (Group 1) The Championships NSW $1,500,000 1600 metres Randwick
April 2025
- Sat 05 Australian Oaks (Group 1) The Championships NSW $1,000,000 2400 metres Randwick
- Sat 05 Sydney Cup (Group 1) The Championships NSW $2,000,000 3200 metres Randwick
- Sat 05 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Group 1) The Championships NSW $4,000,000 2000 metres Randwick
- Sat 05 Queen of the Turf Stakes (Group 1) The Championships NSW $1,000,000 1600 metres Randwick
- Sat 12 Champagne Stakes (Group 1) Sydney Autumn Carnival NSW $500,000 1600 metres Randwick
- Sat 12 All Aged Stakes (Group 1) Sydney Autumn Carnival NSW $600,000 1400 metres Randwick
- Sat 26 Australasian Oaks (Group 1) Adelaide Racing Carnival SA $500,000 2000 metres Morphettville
May 2025
- Sat 03 Robert Sangster Stakes (Group 1) Adelaide Racing Carnival SA $1,000,000 1200 metres Morphettville
- Sat 10 Doomben 10000 (Group 1) Brisbane Winter Carnival QLD $750,000 1200 metres Doomben
- Sat 10 South Australian Derby (Group 1) Adelaide Racing Carnival SA $500,000 2500 metres Morphettville
- Sat 17 The Goodwood (Group 1) Adelaide Racing Carnival SA $1,000,000 1200 metres Morphettville
- Sat 17 Doomben Cup (Group 1) Brisbane Winter Carnival QLD $650,000 2000 metres Doomben
- Sat 24 Queensland Derby (Group 1) Brisbane Winter Carnival QLD $600,000 2200 metres Eagle Farm
- Sat 24 Kingsford-Smith Cup (Group 1) Brisbane Winter Carnival QLD $700,000 1300 metres Eagle Farm
- Sat 31 Queensland Oaks (Group 1) Brisbane Winter Carnival QLD $500,000 2200 metres Eagle Farm
June 2025
- Sat 07 JJ Atkins (Group 1) Brisbane Winter Carnival QLD $600,000 1600 metres Eagle Farm
- Sat 07 Stradbroke Handicap (Group 1) Brisbane Winter Carnival QLD $1,500,000 1400 metres Eagle Farm
- Sat 28 Tattersalls Tiara (Group 1) Brisbane Winter Carnival QLD $500,000 1400 metres Eagle Farm
August 2025
- Sat 16 Winx Stakes (Group 1) Sydney Spring Carnival NSW $500,000 1400 metres Randwick
- Sat 30 Memsie Stakes (Group 1) Melbourne Spring Carnival VIC $1,000,000 1400 metres Caulfield
September 2025
- Sat 06 AJ Moir Stakes (Group 1) Melbourne Spring Carnival VIC $450,000 1000 metres Moonee Valley
- Sat 13 Makybe Diva Stakes (Group 1) Melbourne Spring Carnival VIC $750,000 1600 metres Flemington
- Sat 20 Underwood Stakes (Group 1) Melbourne Spring Carnival VIC $750,000 1800 metres Sandown
- Fri 26 Manikato Stakes (Group 1) Melbourne Spring Carnival VIC $1,000,000 1200 metres Moonee Valley
- Sat 27 Golden Rose (Group 1) Sydney Spring Carnival NSW $1,000,000 1400 metres Rosehill
October 2025
- Sat 04 The Metropolitan (Group 1) Sydney Spring Carnival NSW $750,000 2400 metres Randwick
- Sat 04 Turnbull Stakes (Group 1) Melbourne Spring Carnival VIC $1,000,000 2000 metres Flemington
- Sat 04 Epsom Handicap (Group 1) Sydney Spring Carnival NSW $1,000,000 1600 metres Randwick
- Sat 04 Flight Stakes (Group 1) Sydney Spring Carnival NSW $500,000 1600 metres Randwick
The lucrative Magic Millions race series and Inglis events also don't have Group One status due to their restricted nature.
Five Australian states host Group One racing, with the respective carnivals detailed below:
Melbourne Autumn Carnival
The Melbourne Autumn Carnival mainly focuses around sprinting and mile races for the Group One's, with the Australian Cup (2000m) the only exception among the majors.
The CF Orr Stakes is the first Group One of the calendar year in Australia, a 1400m WFA event at Caulfield and one that is traditionally a strong starting point for returning spring stars.
The Newmarket Handicap is the most prestigious sprinting handicap on the Australian calendar, with that Group One joining the Australian Cup to form Super Saturday.
Melbourne Autumn Carnival Group 1 races:
- C.F. Orr Stakes
- Lightning Stakes
- Blue Diamond Stakes
- Futurity Stakes
- Oakleigh Plate
- Australian Guineas
- Newmarket Handicap
- Australian Cup
- William Reid Stakes
Sydney Autumn Carnival
The Sydney Autumn Carnival has 20 Group One races, with the first being the Chipping Norton and that generally forms a dual Group One card over late summer, along with the Surround Stakes.
With five Group One races on the one meeting, Golden Slipper Day is considered the biggest meeting of the year in Sydney, although since the introduction of The Championships, the strongest racing ends up at Randwick.
The Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Doncaster Mile and TJ Smith Stakes are three main events run over the two days of The Championships.
Sydney Autumn Carnival Group 1 races:
- Chipping Norton Stakes
- Surround Stakes
- Canterbury Stakes
- Randwick Guineas
- Coolmore Classic
- The Galaxy
- Rosehill Guineas
- Ranvet Stakes
- George Ryder Stakes
- Golden Slipper
- Vinery Stud Stakes
- Tancred Stakes
The Championships Group 1 races:
- Queen Elizabeth Stakes
- Doncaster Mile
- Australian Oaks
- T.J. Smith Stakes
- Sydney Cup
- Australian Derby
- Sires' Produce Stakes
- Queen of the Turf Stakes
Adelaide Autumn Carnival
Four Group One races are run and won over the Adelaide Autumn Carnival, which has now been split into four Saturday's, with each major now able to headline their respective meetings.
Being the only Group One sprint in Australia for fillies and mares, The Robert Sangster Stakes is unique in nature, while The Goodwood is undoubtedly the main race run in Adelaide.
Adelaide Autumn Carnival Group 1 races:
- Australasian Oaks
- Robert Sangster Stakes
- South Australian Derby
- The Goodwood
Brisbane Winter Carnival
The Brisbane Winter Carnival is one of the biggest racing carnivals in Australia, with eight Group One's run from late May.
The Queensland Derby is always an intriguing race from both a local and international view, with many Hong Kong Derby contenders sought from this winter three-year-old feature.
Worth $1.5 million, the Stradbroke Handicap is one of the more famous handicaps on the Australian racing calendar and is Queenland's premier race.
Brisbane Winter Carnival Group 1 races:
- Doomben 10,000
- Doomben Cup
- Kingsford-Smith Cup
- Queensland Oaks
- J.J. Atkins
- Queensland Derby
- Stradbroke Handicap
- Tattersalls Tiara
Sydney Spring Carnival
The Sydney Spring Carnival begins with the Winx Stakes, a 1400m WFA event in late August, with this feature also the first Group One of the Australian Racing Season.
Following the stallion-making Golden Rose and famous Epsom Handicap, the Sydney Spring Carnival got a massive boost with the introduction of the The Everest, a $15 million dollar sprint, which is now the richest turf race in the world.
Sydney Spring Carnival Group 1 races:
- Warwick Stakes
- George Main Stakes
- Golden Rose Stakes
- Flight Stakes
- The Metropolitan
- Epsom Handicap
- Spring Champion Stakes
- The Everest
Melbourne Spring Carnival
The Melbourne Spring Carnival is not only Australia's biggest racing carnival, but is one of the more recognised carnivals on the world stage, with 20 Group One's starting from late August via the Memsie Stakes.
Post the AFL season is when spring racing really heats up, with the Caulfield Cup Carnival the first major period, followed by the two-day Cox Plate Carnival and concluding with the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Derby Day is the most famous day on the calendar, where 100,000 racegoers pack out Flemington for day one of a famous week, with four Group One's on the first Saturday.
Melbourne Spring Carnival Group 1 races:
- Memsie Stakes
- Moir Stakes
- Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes
- Underwood Stakes
- Turnbull Stakes
- Toorak Handicap
- Caulfield Stakes
- Caulfield Guineas
- Thousand Guineas
- Caulfield Cup
- Manikato Stakes
- Cox Plate
Melbourne Cup Carnival Group 1 races:
- Cantala Stakes
- Coolmore Stud Stakes
- Victoria Derby
- Victoria Oaks
- Mackinnon Stakes
- Melbourne Cup
- VRC Sprint Classic
- Empire Rose Stakes
Perth Summer Carnival
Group One racing for the Australian calendar year finishes in the west, with three majors run over the Perth Summer Carnival.
The 1600m Railway Stakes is Western Australia's most famous race, with this handicap also the first feature run on the Carnival.
Sprinters take the stage on day two via the Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) before the carnival wraps up with the Kingston Town Classic (1800m).
Perth Summer Carnival Group 1 races:
- Railway Stakes
- Winterbottom Stakes
- Kingston Town Classic