If you live in Australia, chances are that at some point, you have heard or come across one or more of the horse racing events that take place in the country. Horse racing is one of Australia’s favourite pastimes, and millions of people around the country travel to one of these events or watch it live on television. However you engage in one of these events, there’s no denying that they are phenomenally entertaining and thrilling to watch year after year.
Australia gives home to some of the biggest horse racing events in the world, and you will often come across these events mentioned in the top 10 horse races internationally. Not only are these events incredibly popular for the racing enthusiast, but they have also given rise to a massive punting industry, where punters can expect to find some of the biggest horse racing bets in the country.
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The Melbourne Spring Racing Festival
Here we have the largest racing festival in the entire country, and home to the prestigious and ever sought-after Melbourne Cup. Held every year during spring, the Melbourne Racing Carnival also offers some of the highest paying prizes across the world, with a total of over $30 million in prizes that can potentially be won. This festival is held over four days and hosts the Melbourne Cup, the Caulfield Cup, the Emirates Stakes, and the Crown Oaks events.
The Sydney Spring Racing Carnival
Often cited as one of the biggest horse racing events in the world, the Sydney Carnival is second only to the Melbourne Festival in terms of events and overall winnings. Attended by hundreds of thousands of people every year, this festival hosts the Group 1 Epsom Handicap, The Spring Championship Stakes, and the Metropolitan. Winning riders can expect prize money to start at an amount of at least $1 million, earned from the Golden Rose event.
The Magic Millions Carnival
Another giant in the Australian racing scene, and one that offers some of the biggest horse racing events throughout the country, the Magic Millions is held in Queensland every year. This event is run by the Gold Coast Turf Club and takes place over a period of two weeks on the Gold Coast Racecourse. The Magic Millions 2yo Classic is the most popular race during the event, with a winning prize pool of $2 million.
Adelaide Racing Carnival
One of the smaller events among the biggest horse racing events, the Adelaide Carnival is made up of a series of smaller events, including the Robert Sangster Stakes, the South Australian Derby, and the Australasian Oaks.
The Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival
Taking place in May and June, this carnival is home to the extremely popular Stradbroke Handicap. The event is held in Queensland at the Doomben Racecourse and the Eagle Farm Racecourse.
These are just some of the largest and most popular events in the world, and should be in everyone’s top 10 horse races of the year. If you’re a fan of punting, these events also offer some of the best and biggest horse racing bets, meaning there is something for everyone.