The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival brings out the very best of Australian and International thoroughbreds for 50 days of world-class horse racing action and the whole event has a carnival like atmosphere which brings the city of Melbourne to life during spring carnival time.

Weight-for-age group racing in early August kicks off the new stakes racing season in Melbourne with the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes and serves as an entree to bigger and better things to come when Group 1 racing finally kicks off on Saturday September 12th with the running of the Manikato Stakes. A number of high quality races take place each week before we get to the important Caulfield and Flemington racing carnivals in late October and early November.

The jewel in the crown of the spring racing carnival is Australia's most famous race the Melbourne Cup which is always run on the first Tuesday in November over a distance of 3200m(2 miles) at Flemington racecourse in Melbourne. Moonee Valley racecourse is host to the Group 1 WS Cox Plate (2040m) on October 24th and it is widely recognised as the weight-for-age championship of Australia. The Caulfield Cup is the second of the big spring cups and it is a tough Group 1 handicap event over 2400m that takes place on October 17th and forms part of big feature spring cups betting double with the Melbourne Cup.

The 4 day Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington in 2008 attracted 117,776 people to Derby Day, 107,280 to Cup day, 89,338 to Oaks day, and 81,652 to Emirates day, for a total spring carnival attendance of 396,046 fans flocking to Flemington to enjoy racing at it's best.

Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival Guide

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Saturday 1st August 2009 - Caulfield - Bletchingly Stakes Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 3	Bletchingly Stakes	$100,000	1200m	Weight-for-age
Saturday 15th August 2009 - Caulfield - JJ Liston Stakes Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 2	JJ Liston Stakes	$201,000	1400m	Weight-for-age
Gr 3	Cockram Stakes	$100,000	1200m	Mares SW+Pen
Saturday 22nd August 2009 - Moonee Valley - Mitty's McEwan Trophy Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 3	McEwen Stakes	$180,000	1000m	Weight-for-age
Saturday 29th August 2009 - Caulfield - Memsie Stakes Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 2	Memsie Stakes	$201,000	1400m	Weight-for-age
Gr 3	H.D.F. McNeil Stakes	$125,000	1200m	3yo SW+Pen
Saturday 5th September 2009 - Flemington - Makybe Diva Stakes Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 2	Makybe Diva Stakes	$502,000	1600m	Weight-for-age
Gr 3	Danehill Stakes	$251,500	1200m	3yo SW+Pen
Gr 3	Bobbie Lewis Quality	$201,500	1200m	Quality hcp
Gr 3	Let's Elope Stakes	$201,500	1400m	Mares SW+Pen
Saturday 12th September 2009 - Moonee Valley - Manikato Stakes Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 1	Manikato Stakes	$403,000	1200m	Weight-for-age
Gr 2	Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes	$301,000	1600m	Weight-for-age
Gr 2	WH Stock Stakes	$201,000	1600m	4yo+ Mares WFA
Gr 3	Champagne Stakes	$125,000	1200m	3yoF SW
Saturday 19th September 2009 - Caulfield - Underwood Stakes Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 1	Underwood Stakes	$353,000	1800m	Weight-for-age
Gr 1	Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes	$353,000	1400m	Open Hcp
Gr 3	Caulfield Guineas Prelude	$175,750	1400m	3yoC&G SW+Pen
Gr 3	Thousand Guineas Prelude	$175,750	1400m	3yoF SW+Pen
Gr 3	South Yarra Stakes	$100,750	1200m	Mares SW+Pen
Friday Night 25th September 2009 - Moonee Valley - Stutt Stakes Night
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 2	Stutt Stakes	$176,000	1600m	3yo Open SW
Saturday, 3rd October 2009 - Flemington - Turnbull Stakes Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 1	Turnbull Stakes	$502,000	2000m	4yo&Up SW+Pen
Gr 2	Edward Manifold Stakes	$301,500	1600m	3yoF SW
Gr 2	Gilgai Stakes	$251,500	1200m	3yo&Up SW+Pen
Gr 2	Uci Stakes	$251,500	1400m	Mares SW+Pen
Saturday 10th October 2009 - Caulfield - Caulfield Guineas Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 1	Caulfield Guineas	$1,008,000	1600m	3yo Open SW
Gr 1	Yalumba Stakes	$403,000	2000m	Weight-for-age
Gr 1	Toorak Handicap	$353,000	1600m	Open Hcp
Gr 2	Presentation Stakes	$201,000	2400m	Quality Hcp
Gr 2	Schillaci Stakes	$201,000	1000m	Weight-for-age
Gr 3	Thoroughbred Club Stakes	$100,750	1000m	3yoF SW+Pen
Sunday 11th October 2009 - Cranbourne Cup Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
LR	Cranbourne Cup	$156,000	2025m	Open Hcp
Wednesday 14th October 2009 - Caulfield - Thousand Guineas Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 1	Thousand Guineas	$503,000	1600m	3yoF Open SW
Saturday 17th October 2009 - Caulfield - Caulfield Cup Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 1	Caulfield Cup	$2,544,000	2400m	Open Hcp
Gr 2	Caulfield Sprint	$201,000	1000m	Open Hcp
Gr 2	Tristarc Stakes	$176,000	1400m	4yo Mares SW+Pen
Gr 3	Norman Robinson Stakes	$125,750	2000m	3yo Open SW
Gr 3	David Jones Cup	$100,750	2000m	Open Hcp
Gr 3	Moonga Stakes	$176,000	1400m	4yo&Up SW+Pen
Sunday 18th October 2009 - Seymour Cup Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
LR	Seymour Cup	$123,000	1600m	Open Hcp
Wednesday 21st October 2009 - Geelong Cup Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 3	Geelong Cup	$215,000	2400m	Open Hcp
LR	Geelong Classic	$101,500	2200m	3yo SW & Pen
Saturday 24th October 2009 - Moonee Valley - WS Cox Plate Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 1	WS Cox Plate	$3,050,000	2040m	Weight-for-age
Gr 2	Cathay Pacific Airways Cup	$323,000	2500m	4yo&Up SW+Pen
Gr 2	Schweppes Stakes	$201,000	1200m	Weight-for-age
Gr 2	Crystal Mile	$205,000	1600m	Open Hcp
Gr 2	AAMI Vase	$205,000	2040m	3yo SW
Gr 3	Inglis Mile	$125,000	1600m	4yo&Up Mares Hcp
Gr 3	Red Anchor Stakes	$125,000	1200m	3yo Sw+Pen
Wednesday 28th October 2009 - Werribee Cup Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
LR	Werribee Cup	$128,500	2224m	Open Hcp
Saturday, 31st October 2009 - Flemington - Victoria Derby Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 1	AAMI Victoria Derby	$1,510,000	2500m	3yo SW
Gr 1	Mackinnon Stakes	$752,500	2000m	Weight-for-age
Gr 1	Coolmore Stud Stakes	$502,500	1200m	3yo SW
Gr 1	Myer Classic	$502,500	1600m	F&M WFA
Gr 2	Wakeful Stakes	$302,000	2000m	3yoF SW+Pen
Gr 2	Salinger Stakes	$352,000	1200m	Open Hcp
Gr 3	Carbine Club Stakes	$253,000	1600m	3yo SW+Pen
Gr 3	Saab Quality	$251,500	2500m	Quality Hcp
Gr 3	Ellerston Capital Stakes	$251,500	1400m	Open Hcp
Tuesday, 3th November 2009 - Flemington - Melbourne Cup Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 1	Melbourne Cup	$5,650,000	3200m	3yo+ Open Hcp
Thursday, 5th November 2009 - Flemington - Crown Oaks Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 1	Crown Oaks	$1,005,000	2500m	3yoF SW
Saturday, 7th November 2009 - Flemington - Emirates Stakes Day
Date	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 1	Emirates Stakes	$1,005,000	1600m	Quality Hcp
Gr 1	Age Classic	$502,500	1200m	Weight-for-age
Gr 2	Hilton International Stakes	$302,000	2000m	Mares SW+Pen
Gr 3	Queen Elizabeth Stakes	$251,500	2500m	Quality Hcp
Wednesday 11th November 2009- Bendigo Cup Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
LR	Bendigo Cup	$150,000	2400m	Open Hcp
Saturday, 14th November 2009 - Sandown - Sandown Classic Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 2	Sandown Classic	$401,000	2400m	2yo+ Open WFA
Gr 2	Sandown Guineas	$401,000	1600m	3yo SW
Gr 3	Sandown Stakes	$100,000	1500m	Quality Hcp
Wednesday 18th November 2009 - Ballarat Cup Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
LR	Ballarat Cup	$130,000	2200m	Open Hcp
Saturday, 21st November 2009 - Sandown - Eclipse Stakes Day
Status	Race Name	Prizemoney	Distance	Race Type
Gr 3	Eclipse Stakes	$125,000	2100m	Quality Hcp

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Other Australian Racing Carnivals

Melbourne autumn racing carnival
Sydney spring racing carnival
Sydney autumn racing carnival
Brisbane winter racing carnival
Adelaide racing carnival
Perth racing carnival
Gold Coast Magic Millions racing carnival

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Legend
2yo: Two-year-old
2yoC&G: Two-year-old Colts and Geldings
2yoF: Two-year-old Fillies
2yo&Up: Two-year-old horses and Upwards
3yo: Three-year-old
3yoC&G: Three-year-old Colts and Geldings
3yoF: Three-year-old Fillies
3yo&Up: Three-year-old an upwards
F&M: Fillies and Mares
Mares: Four-year-old and up female horses
SW+Pen: Set Weights + Penalty
Open Hcp: Open Handicap
Qlty Hcp: Quality Handicap
WFA: Weight-for-age
Gr 1: Group 1 race
Gr 2: Group 2 race
Gr 3: Group 3 race
LR: Listed race