Australia is known to have some of the finest and most prestigious horse racing carnivals in the world. The racing season, which first begins on August 1st each year, starts with both the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival and the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. The major racing for both carnivals begins in September, with the Melbourne Carnival culminating in the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday of November. The entire Melbourne Cup Carnival is considered part of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, including the Victoria Derby, Crown Oaks and Emirates Stakes.
Racing then moves to Western Australia for the Perth Summer Racing Carnival. The major races of this carnival take place as part of the Festival of Perth Racing, including the Winterbottom Stakes, Kingston Town Stakes and Railway Stakes.
The Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival then begins in February and includes some of Australia’s most sought-after race titles. The Autumn Carnival is arguably home to some of the top sprint races in the world, including the C.F. Orr Stakes, Lightning Stakes and Newmarket Handicap. The richest two-year-old race in the world, the Golden Slipper, also takes place as part of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
The last major racing carnival of the season is the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival that takes place in May and June. The winter carnival includes top class sprint races such as the BTC Cup, Doomben 10,000, Winter Stakes and the Stradbroke Handicap, as well as staying races like the Queensland Oaks and Doomben Cup.