Racing Introduction

Australia’s passion for horse racing is as enduring as the nation itself.

The first official race meeting was staged in Sydney’s Hyde Park in 1810 – just 22 years after the arrival of the First Fleet – while the latest racing season saw nearly 20,000 races conducted in eight states and territories.

Competing in those races were 35,000 horses, vying for over $850 million in prizemoney.
The $8 million Melbourne Cup – first run in 1861 – remains one of Australia’s most famous events and is a race that truly stops a nation.

As the great American writer, Mark Twain, said when attending the Melbourne Cup in 1895: “Nowhere in the world have I encountered a festival of people that has such a magnificent appeal to the whole nation.”

However, the Melbourne Cup is but one of 92 races in Australia annually that attracts $1 million or greater in prizemoney.

For instance, The Everest is a $20 million race, and the world’s richest race on turf, while the $5 million Golden Slipper is the most lucrative race around the globe for 2YOs.

But it’s not all about the prizemoney: many regional cities and towns conduct their own ‘Cups’ – with a public holiday attached – including the famous Birdsville meeting in September.

Situated 1,600 kilometres from Brisbane (and approximately the same distance from Adelaide), Birdsville boasts a population of 110 but attracts 6,000 to a race meeting which has been around since 1882.

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It typifies the egalitarian nature of horse racing in Australia with people from all walks of life involved in either outright ownership or a minor percentage through syndication.

Research shows that 1 in every 254 Australian owns a share in a racehorse: a far greater proportion than in any other nation.

Indicative of Australia’s love for racing, our wagering – per capita – averages US$1,296 per year, compared to US$333 in the United Kingdom and US$49 in the United States.

Additionally, Australian racing is streamed live every day throughout the world.

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“You jump off a plane in Australia and everyone is smiling, both at the sales grounds and racetrack,” leading bloodstock agent, Hubie de Burgh points out. “Would I choose anywhere else in the world to race or go to a sale? I wouldn’t, I just love it.”

Carnivals

Australia stages in the vicinity of 2,500 race meetings annually which are spread across all but two days – Good Friday and Christmas Day.

Of the 20,000 odd actual races, 607 are designated as black type events, with 74 at Group One level.

With the Australian racing season commencing on 1 August, the vast majority of the black type races are conducted during designated carnivals: commencing with Sydney and Melbourne in August through to November, the Perth Summer Carnival in November/December, Tasmania in January, back to Melbourne and Sydney for their Autumn Carnivals from February to April, Adelaide in May and Brisbane in May/June.

Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival

The most famous of Australia’s carnivals, the Melbourne Spring Carnival has captivated racing fans for 160 years, with its origins dating right back to the inaugural Melbourne Cup in 1861.

The Melbourne Spring Carnival officially gets underway with the Group 1 Memsie Stakes meeting at the end of August, before wrapping up with the Group 2 Sandown Guineas and Group 2 Zipping Classic in mid November, hosting 20 Group 1 events during that period, which is close to a third of the nation’s elite races.

However, much of the focus is on a 28 day period from early October with Caulfield’s Guineas and Cup, followed by the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley and the world famous 4-day Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington.

Overall, the Melbourne Spring Carnival features 115 black type races which alone account for close to $59 million in prizemoney.

Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival

For seven weeks of Autumn beginning in March Sydney is host of world-class racing, fashion, hospitality and events.

Effectively opening with the Chipping Norton Stakes, there are Group 1 races for eight successive weeks, which include the $5 million Golden Slipper Stakes – first run in 1957 – the $4 million Doncaster, $3 million TJ Smith Stakes, $2 million Derby and, notably, the $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes which was won, most fittingly, by Winx in her farewell to racing in 2019.There are 22 Group 1s during the Sydney Autumn Carnival – 8 alone during the two weeks ‘The Championships’ – with black type prizemoney in excess of $40 million.

Beyond Sydney’s Autumn Carnival it host’s an exceptional Spring carnival that has been bolstered considerably in recent years through the introduction of The Everest – the world’s richest race on turf worth $20 million– and the $7.5 million Golden Eagle.

Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival

There are 86 black type races in Queensland every year, but Brisbane has the seasonal ‘sign off’ with the final Group 1s of the Australian racing season: notably the $3 million Stradbroke, the $1.5 million Doomben 10,000, $1 million Doomben Cup and $1 million JJ Atkins, which is also the last Group 1 for juveniles.

The Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival runs from mid May to the Queen’s Birthday weekend in the first week of June.

Magic Millions Carnival (January)

Where the surf meets the turf. Staged in one of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations – Queensland’s Gold Coast – January’s Magic Millions Carnival coincides with 6 days of sales action at the Bundall sales complex: immediately across the road from the Gold Coast Turf Club.

While there are 18 black type events in Brisbane during November and December, the Magic Millions Carnival is very much a festive affair from the first days of January. The ‘carnival’ includes a barrier draw – conducted at Surfers Paradise beach. For the first time in 2023 The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic and the Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas feature races to be run for $3 million each. The race day itself offers over $14.25 million in prizemoney across 11 races.

Perth Summer Racing Carnival

While Western Australia’s 78 black type races run continuously from August to July, Perth’s major carnivals commences almost immediately upon the completion of its Melbourne counterpart.

Now aptly named The Pinnacles or Perth’s Spring Racing Carnival hosts the world’s only single-track racing festival featuring a Group One race worth at least $1.5 million over three consecutive Saturdays. From November to December $10.5 million in prize money is awarded over 5 days. Featuring the Railway Stakes, Winterbottom Stakes, Northerly Stakes and the new TABtouch Gold Rush – each worth $1.5 million.

Adelaide Racing Carnival

South Australia stages 4 stakes races at its iconic Adelaide Cup meeting in March – a public holiday – which also corresponds with the Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

However, Adelaide’s major carnival traditionally commences in the first week of May and features 4 Group 1s over a three-week period: opening with the Australasian Oaks and Robert Sangster Classic on the first program, followed by the South Australian Derby before culminating with one of Australia’s most prestigious sprints: the Goodwood Handicap, which was first run in 1881 and won in 2012 by subsequent Royal Ascot winner Black Caviar.

Place in Society

Australia has ridden through history on the horse’s back and is considered as much a part of our culture as any other activity.

While a large number of regional cities and towns throughout Australia conduct at least one meeting annually, the carnivals in capital cities attract wide media coverage: particularly Melbourne’s Spring Carnival.

And while there are currently 74 Group Ones and 92 races worth $1 million or greater in prizemoney, it is just as much the ‘colour’ that captures the rapt attention of millions around the globe: be it the first internationally trained horse to the win the Melbourne Cup (Vintage Crop), the first female to ride a Melbourne Cup winner (Michelle Payne) or British model, Jean Shrimpton, ‘scandalising’ the world in 1965 by wearing a mini skirt in the members’ area at Flemington.

Australian racing is one of the few sports that has the ability to take readers from the back page to the front.

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Governance

Racing Australia is responsible for representing the thoroughbred industry on a national level, although each state and territory is managed by an individual organisation and charged with enforcing the rules of racing.

Racing Australia’s primary function is to set and amend the rules of racing for each state’s integrity department to then administer, while the national body also maintains the Australian Stud Book as a record for racing and breeding.

With representation from each state and territory, Racing Australia also fosters relationships with government as well and builds on Australia’s reputation internationally.

Racing Australia, and the individual state bodies, are responsible for the licensing and governance of trainers, jockeys, bookmakers, bookmakers’ clerks, stablehands and strappers, while owners are also registered.

To ensure the integrity of racing, millions of dollars are allocated annually on the latest drug testing equipment and with wagering – per capita – estimated to be more than $800 per year, strict guidelines are enforced to sustain confidence in wagering.

Breeding Bonus Schemes by State

Over $850 million in prizemoney is distributed annually throughout Australia, with stakes levels increasing by 84% in the past decade.

Additionally, Australia’s prizemoney is considerably enhanced by ‘bonus schemes’ in each state – each scheme has a range of eligibility criteria and nomination requirements but offers significant rewards. 

Victoria

Established in the 1980s, VOBIS is the oldest, continuously running scheme in Australia and features four tiers:

  1. Silver VOBIS: Open to all 2YO and 3YO races in Victoria.

  2. VOBIS Gold: An additional 19 races in the VOBIS Gold Premier Race Series, worth $4.94 million in prize money.

  3. VOBIS Sires: Allows runners to participate in The Showdown, a $1 million 2YO race, and the VOBIS Sires Guineas, a $500,000 3YO race.

  4. VOBIS Platinum: A recent addition that qualifying runners can compete in the VOBIS Sires races and have the opportunity to earn additional bonuses through $30,000 VOBIS Platinum Vouchers across 250+ VOBIS Gold Races, totaling $7.5 million.

With over $30 million on offer annually, horses can gain eligibility in three categories:

A) Sired by a Victorian based stallion.
B) Breed back, where the dam visits a Victorian based stallion the following season.
C) Victorian based breeders utilising an interstate stallion.

Find out more at: Racing Victoria – VOBIS

New South Wales

BOBS (Breeder Owner Bonus Scheme) bonuses are paid out on racetracks throughout NSW, adding a payment of up to $20,000 for each win as a 2YO and 3YO.

In the last season, over $11.5 million was paid out in cash bonuses and Double-Up vouchers, bringing the total since the scheme’s inception in 2003 to over $185 million.

To be eligible for BOBS, a horse must be sired by a BOBS eligible stallion and nominated for the scheme.

Find out more at: Racing NSW – BOBS

Queensland

QTIS (Queensland Thoroughbred Incentive Scheme) offers over $10 million in bonuses each year and as of 2023 is the only free bonus scheme in Australia for every foal born from 2022 onwards. The bonus is available across all 2YO and 3YO races held in Queensland (excluding Black Type, Feature and Magic Millions races).

With an additional 50% bonus for any filly who wins or places. This means a filly winning a Saturday metropolitan QTIS bonus race can secure an additional $36,750 on top of her winnings.

QTISx bonuses also offer cash bonuses ($50,000) or sales vouchers ($100,000) payable to Queensland bred horses winning Group 1 races in the state. QTISx cash bonus or voucher options are also available on all other Black Type and numerous feature races. Breeder bonuses are programmed on all QTIS & QTISx races.

To be eligible for the scheme horses must either;

A) The progeny of a stallion standing in Queensland at the time of conception, or:
B) ‘Breed Back’ meaning they are not the progeny of a Queensland based stallion; however, the dam has been covered by a Queensland based stallion the following season.

Find out more at: Racing QLD – QTIS

South Australia

Racing Rewards SA (formerly SABOIS) is an Incentive Scheme designed to promote training and racing in South Australia to Breeders’, Owners’ and Trainers’. With The 2023-24 season cap been lifted to $2.8m, bonuses are available to the top 3 place getters with Saturday metro and public holiday races carrying $28,000 of bonuses. A significant increase from 2019/20 season’s totalled $1.3 million

To be eligible for the bonuses the horse must be nominated under one of the four categories:
1) The progeny of a stallion standing in South Australian.
2) ‘Breed back’, they are not the progeny of a South Australian based stallion; however, the dam has been covered by a South Australian based stallion the following season.
3) The horse is either owned at birth or purchased as a foal or weanling by a South Australian breeder.
4) Any yearling that is at least 50% SA owned or any weanling purchased at a sale and is now SA owned and resides in SA from the time of purchase. 

Find out more at: Racing SA – Racing Rewards SA

Western Australia

The West Australian Bonus Scheme – Westspeed – was first established at the commencement of the 1999/2000 racing season and has subsequently grown to a point where it now distributes $8 million in bonuses every year.

The scheme is expected to distribute more than $12 million back to owners and breeders this 2023/24 season.  Westspeed offers additional bonuses on the following tiers;

1. Westspeed platinum scheme offers owners the chance to double their bonuses on select races for progeny of Western Australia based sires.

2. In 2020 the Westspeed EPONA scheme was introduced for fillies and mares, 10% of winning prizemoney will be accumulated as a line of breeding credit (these can be redeemed from $2,500- $10,000). Eligible to any filly or mare who wins a WA race, excluding community meetings.

To be eligible for the bonuses the horse must be nominated under one of the four categories:
A) The progeny of a stallion standing in Western Australia at the time the dam is served.
B) ‘Breed back’, they are not the progeny of a Western Australia based stallion; however, the dam has been covered by a Western Australia based stallion the following season.
C) From a mare who was at least 50% owned by a WA based Breeder at the time of conception.

Find out more at: RWWA- Westspeed

Tasmania

The TASBRED incentive scheme offers $2 million in additional bonuses across a growing 95 races in Tasmania every year.

To be eligible for the scheme the horse must be nominated under one of the four categories:
A) The progeny of a stallion standing in Tasmania.
B) ‘Breed back’, they are not the progeny of a Tasmania based stallion; provided, the dam has been covered by a Tasmania based stallion the following season.
C) Tasmanian Raised, for this the foal must have spent 6 continuous months in Tasmania before its first birthday.

Find out more at: Tasracing – TASBRED

Racing Fact Book

Cover Page of 2022 Racing Australia Fact Book

View 2021-22 Fact Book

The Power of Passion

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