The Melbourne Cup Carnival is the most highly anticipated horse racing event on the Australian calendar looked forward to by fans all over the world. Spanning four superb days of racing with the Victoria Derby Day, the Melbourne Cup Day, the Crown Oaks Day and the Emirates Stakes Day – the second is undoubtedly the most prolific.
Held as the feature few days of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, there are several prestigious races which take place at Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse during the four days of racing, which is of course topped with the $6 million Melbourne Cup.
AAMI Victoria Derby Day
The opening day of racing at the Melbourne Cup Carnival is traditionally the Victoria Derby Day which takes place on the Saturday prior to the Melbourne Cup Day. The Group One Victoria Derby is the event which draws the crowds down to the track and worth $1.5 million is competed by three-year-olds over the 2, 500 metre distance. There are three other Group One races to take to Flemington on the Victoria Derby day being the Mackinnon Stakes (2000m), the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) and the Myer Classic (1600m).
Melbourne Cup Day
Undoubtedly the highlight of any horse racing fans season is the Melbourne Cup Day. Held as the second day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the headlining event of the spring is the Group One Melbourne Cup (3200m) which is worth a hugely impressive $6 million, and traditionally jumps at 3pm on the first Tuesday every November.
Crown Oaks Day
The third day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival is the Crown Oaks Day and traditionally known as the Ladies Day takes place on the Thursday following the Melbourne Cup. Featured by another prestigious Australian horse race – the Group One Crown Oaks (2500m), the Flemington Racecourse sees three-year-old fillies and mares compete for the illustrious purse of $1 million at set weights.
Emirates Stakes Day
The final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival is the Emirates Stakes Day which sees five great Group races form the bumper card. Held on the Saturday following the Melbourne Cup, the Emirates Stakes Day is headlined by the $1 million Group One Emirates Stakes (1600m) which is a quality handicap. Also taking place on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival is the Group One Patinack Farm Classic (1200m), the Group Two Matriarch Stakes (2000m), the Group Two Lee Steere Stakes (1400m), the Group Three VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2500m) and the Group Three Maribyrnong Plate (1000m).
