Australian Group 1 Races are the premier races for thoroughbreds during the racing season in Australia. Group One races have the highest prizemoney on offer and owners, jockeys, and trainers set their sights on winning Group 1 races because of the prestige and value associated for winning horses, especially those horses and mares being set for a career at stud.

The most recognised Group 1 races in Australia are the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, WS Cox Plate, and Golden Slipper, which are all races offering the highest prizemoney in Australia each year.

Group 1 races are held in the 5 major states of Australia at the principal metropolitan tracks in each capital city, with the majority of Group 1 events taking place at the major racing carnivals in Melbourne and Sydney each autumn and spring.

Brisbane, Adelaide & Perth carnivals, although smaller in number Group 1 wise, provide some eagerly awaited Group 1 races throughout the year.

State City Victoria Melbourne New South Wales Sydney Queensland Brisbane South Australia Adelaide Western Australia Perth

Australian Group Races Australian Group 1-2-3 Races Australian Group Race Results

The Australian racing season runs from August to July each year and below you will find all the Group 1 races held each year on the racing calendar.

Australian Group 1 Races

The three most prestigious races on the racing calendar each year are the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup and WS Cox Plate which all take place during the Melbourne spring racing carnival in Victoria.

VICTORIA - MELBOURNE
Date	Track	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Feb11-12	Caulfield	CF Orr Stakes	$400,000	1400m	Weight-for-age
Feb18-12	Flemington	Lightning Stakes	$750,000	1000m	Weight-for-age
Feb25-12	Caulfield	Blue Diamond Stakes	$1,000,000	1200m	2yo SW
Feb25-12	Caulfield	Futurity Stakes	$500,000	1400m	Weight-for-age
Feb25-12	Caulfield	Oakleigh Plate	$350,000	1100m	Open Hcp
Mar03-12	Flemington	Australian Guineas	$750,000	1600m	3yo SW
Mar10-12	Flemington	Australian Cup	$1,000,000	2000m	Weight-for-age
Mar10-12	Flemington	Newmarket Handicap	$1,000,000	1200m	Open Hcp
Mar23-12	M. Valley	William Reid Stakes	$500,000	1200m	Weight-for-age
Sep22-12	Caulfield	Underwood Stakes	$350,000	1800m	WFA
Sep28-12	M. Valley	Manikato Stakes	$500,000	1200m	WFA
Sep29-12	Caulfield	Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes	$350,000	1400m	Open Hcp
Oct06-12	Flemington	Turnbull Stakes	$500,000	2000m	4yo+ SW+P
Oct13-12	Caulfield	Caulfield Guineas	$1,000,000	1600m	3yo Open SW
Oct13-12	Caulfield	Yalumba Stakes	$400,000	2000m	WFA
Oct13-12	Caulfield	Toorak Handicap	$350,000	1600m	Open Hcp
Oct17-12	Caulfield	Thousand Guineas	$500,000	1600m	3yoF Open SW
Oct20-12	Caulfield	Caulfield Cup	$2,500,000	2400m	Open Hcp
Oct27-12	M. Valley	WS Cox Plate	$3,000,000	2040m	WFA
Nov03-12	Flemington	AAMI Victoria Derby	$1,500,000	2500m	3yo SW
Nov03-12	Flemington	Mackinnon Stakes	$1,000,000	2000m	WFA
Nov03-12	Flemington	Coolmore Stud Stakes	$500,000	1200m	3yo SW
Nov03-12	Flemington	Myer Classic	$500,000	1600m	F&M WFA
Nov06-12	Flemington	Melbourne Cup	$6,175,000	3200m	Open Hcp
Nov08-12	Flemington	Crown Oaks	$1,000,000	2500m	3yoF SW
Nov10-12	Flemington	Emirates Stakes	$1,000,000	1600m	Quality Hcp
Nov10-12	Flemington	Patinack Farm Classic	$1,000,000	1200m	WFA

NEW SOUTH WALES - SYDNEY
Date	Track	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Mar10-12	W. Farm	Chipping Norton Stakes	$350,000	1600m	Weight-for-age
Mar17-12	Randwick	Randwick Guineas	$500,000	1600m	3yo SW
Mar24-12	Rosehill	Coolmore Stud Classic	$600,000	1500m	F&M Qlty
Mar24-12	Rosehill	Ranvet Stakes	$400,000	2000m	Weight-for-age
Mar31-12	Rosehill	Rosehill Guineas	$500,000	2000m	3yo SW
Apr07-12	Rosehill	Golden Slipper Stakes	$3,500,000	1200m	2yo SW
Apr07-12	Rosehill	The BMW	$2,250,000	2400m	Weight-for-age
Apr07-12	Rosehill	Storm Queen Stakes	$400,000	2000m	3yoF SW
Apr07-12	Rosehill	George Ryder Stakes	$400,000	1500m	Weight-for-age
Apr07-12	Rosehill	Queen Of The Turf Stakes	$400,000	1500m	F&M WFA
Apr14-12	Randwick	AJC Australian Derby	$1,500,000	2400m	3yo SW
Apr14-12	Randwick	TJ Smith Stakes	$1,000,000	1200m	Weight-for-age
Apr14-12	Randwick	AJC Sires Produce Stakes	$500,000	1400m	2yo SW
Apr21-12	Randwick	Doncaster Handicap	$2,000,000	1600m	Open Hcp
Apr21-12	Randwick	AJC Australian Oaks	$550,000	2400m	3yoF SW
Apr21-12	Randwick	The Galaxy	$350,000	1100m	Open Hcp
Apr28-12	Randwick	Sydney Cup	$500,000	3200m	Open Hcp
Apr28-12	Randwick	AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	$500,000	2000m	Weight-for-age
Apr28-12	Randwick	All Aged Stakes	$400,000	1400m	Weight-for-age
Apr28-12	Randwick	AJC Champagne Stakes	$400,000	1600m	2yo SW
Sep15-12	Rosehill	Golden Rose	$1,000,000	1400m	3yo SW
Sep22-12	Randwick	George Main Stakes	$350,000	1600m	Weight-for-age
Oct06-12	Randwick	Epsom Handicap	$500,000	1600m	Open Hcp
Oct06-12	Randwick	The Metropolitan	$400,000	2400m	3yo&up Hcp
Oct06-12	Randwick	Flight Stakes	$400,000	1600m	3yoF SW
Oct06-12	Randwick	Spring Champion Stakes	$400,000	2000m	3yo SW

QUEENSLAND - BRISBANE
Date	Track	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
May12-12	Doomben	BTC Cup	$400,000	1200m	Weight-for-age
May19-12	Doomben	Doomben Cup	$500,000	2020m	Weight-for-age
May26-12	Doomben	Doomben 10000	$650,000	1350m	Weight-for-age
Jun02-12	Eagle Farm	Queensland Oaks	$400,000	2400m	3yoF SW
Jun09-12	Eagle Farm	Stradbroke Handicap	$1,000,000	1400m	Open Hcp
Jun09-12	Eagle Farm	Queensland Derby	$500,000	2400m	3yo SW
Jun09-12	Eagle Farm	The TJ Smith	$500,000	1600m	2yo SW
Jun23-12	Eagle Farm	Winter Stakes	$500,000	1400m	F&M WFA

SOUTH AUSTRALIA - ADELAIDE
Date	Track	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Apr28-12	Morphettville	Australasian Oaks	$350,000	2000m	3yoF SW
Apr28-12	Morphettville	Robert Sangster Stakes	$350,000	1200m	F&M WFA
May05-12	Morphettville	SA Derby	$350,000	2500m	3yo SW
May12-12	Morphettville	Goodwood	$500,000	1200m	Open SW+P

WESTERN AUSTRALIA - PERTH
Date	Track	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Nov24-12	Ascot	Railway Stakes	$1,000,000	1600m	Open Hcp
Nov24-12	Ascot	Winterbottom Stakes	$500,000	1200m	Weight-for-age
Dec08-12	Ascot	Kingston Town Classic	$500,000	1800m	Weight-for-age

Visit our Australian Group Races page to see all feature group races held in Australia each year. For group racing results please go to our Group Races Results page where you will find winners and placegetters of all group races held in recent times.