The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival is undoubtably the highlight of the racing year in Australia and it brings together the very best of Australian and International thoroughbreds for 50 days of world-class horse racing action. The whole event has a carnival like atmosphere which brings the city of Melbourne to life during spring carnival time.
The major racing carnival during the spring is the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival held at Flemington in early November, home to Melbourne Cup Day, while the three-day Caulfield Cup carnival held at Caulfield in October is also an exciting affair for horse racing fans.
Other feature race days during spring include WS Cox Plate day at Moonee Valley in late October, and Sandown Classic day at Sandown in November, one week after the Flemington carnival ends on Emirates Stakes day.
Group racing kicks off in early August with the Aurie’s Star Handicap is the first group race of the new season, while the first Group One race takes place in late August with the running of the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield racecourse. A number of high quality feature races are then held each week before we get to the important Caulfield, Moonee Valley and Flemington racing carnivals in late October and early November.
The Caulfield Cup is the second of the big spring cups and it is a tough Group One handicap event over 2400m that takes place in mid October and forms part of big feature spring cups betting double with the Melbourne Cup.
Moonee Valley racecourse is host to the Group One WS Cox Plate over 2040m in October, one week after the Caulfield Cup, and it’s widely recognised as the weight-for-age championship of Australasia.
| Saturday 8th October 2016 – Caulfield – Caulfield Guineas Day | ||||
| Status | Race Name | Prizemoney | Distance | Race Type |
| Gr 1 | Caulfield Guineas | $1,000,000 | 1600m | 3yo Open SW |
| Gr 1 | Thousand Guineas | $500,000 | 1600m | 3yoF Open SW |
| Gr 1 | Caulfield Stakes | $400,000 | 2000m | Weight-for-age |
| Gr 1 | Toorak Handicap | $400,000 | 1600m | Open Hcp |
| Gr 2 | Herbert Power Stakes | $220,000 | 2400m | Quality Hcp |
| Gr 2 | Schillaci Stakes | $220,000 | 1100m | Weight-for-age |
| Gr 3 | Thoroughbred Club Stakes | $150,000 | 1200m | 3yoF SW+Pen |
| Gr 3 | Northwood Plume Stakes | $150,000 | 1200m | Mares SW+Pen |
| Sunday 9th October 2016 – Cranbourne Cup Day | ||||
| Status | Race Name | Prizemoney | Distance | Race Type |
| LR | Cranbourne Cup | $200,000 | 2025m | Open Hcp |
| Wednesday 12th October 2016 – Caulfield – Thousand Guineas Day | ||||
| Status | Race Name | Prizemoney | Distance | Race Type |
| Gr 3 | Blue Sapphire Stakes | $350,000 | 1200m | 3yo SW |
| Gr 3 | Ladies Day Vase | $120,000 | 1600m | Mares SW+Pen |
| Saturday 15th October 2016 – Caulfield – Caulfield Cup Day | ||||
| Status | Race Name | Prizemoney | Distance | Race Type |
| Gr 1 | Caulfield Cup | $3,000,000 | 2400m | Open Hcp |
| Gr 2 | Caulfield Sprint | $220,000 | 1100m | Open Hcp |
| Gr 2 | Tristarc Stakes | $220,000 | 1400m | 4yo Mares SW+Pen |
| Gr 3 | Caulfield Classic | $500,000 | 2000m | 3yo Open SW |
| Gr 3 | David Jones Cup | $150,000 | 2000m | Open Hcp |
| Gr 3 | Moonga Stakes | $150,000 | 1400m | 4yo&Up SW+Pen |
| Gr 3 | Ethereal Stakes | $150,000 | 2000m | 3yo F SW+Pen |
| Sunday 16th October 2016 – Seymour Cup Day | ||||
| Status | Race Name | Prizemoney | Distance | Race Type |
| LR | Seymour Cup | $150,000 | 1600m | Open Hcp |
| Wednesday 19th October 2016 – Geelong Cup Day | ||||
| Status | Race Name | Prizemoney | Distance | Race Type |
| Gr 3 | Geelong Cup | $300,000 | 2400m | Open Hcp |
| Friday 21st October 2016 – Manikato Stakes Night | ||||
| Status | Race Name | Prizemoney | Distance | Race Type |
| Gr 1 | Manikato Stakes | $1,000,000 | 1200m | Weight-for-age |
| Saturday 22nd October 2016 – Moonee Valley – WS Cox Plate Day | ||||
| Status | Race Name | Prizemoney | Distance | Race Type |
| Gr 1 | WS Cox Plate | $3,000,000 | 2040m | Weight-for-age |
| Gr 2 | Moonee Valley Cup | $250,000 | 2500m | 4yo&Up SW+Pen |
| Gr 2 | Crystal Mile | $200,000 | 1600m | WFA |
| Gr 2 | AAMI Vase | $200,000 | 2040m | 3yo SW |
| Gr 2 | Moonee Valley Fillies Classic | $200,000 | 1600m | 3yo Fillies |
| Gr 3 | Inglis Mile | $150,000 | 1600m | 4yo&Up Mares Hcp |
| Gr 3 | Red Anchor Stakes | $150,000 | 1200m | 3yo Sw+Pen |
| Wednesday 26th October 2016 – Bendigo Cup Day | ||||
| Status | Race Name | Prizemoney | Distance | Race Type |
| Gr 3 | Bendigo Cup | $300,000 | 2400m | Open Hcp |
| Saturday 29th October 2016 – Flemington – Victoria Derby Day | ||||
| Status | Race Name | Prizemoney | Distance | Race Type |
| Gr 1 | AAMI Victoria Derby | $1,500,000 | 2500m | 3yo SW |
| Gr 1 | Longines Mile | $1,000,000 | 1600m | Quality Hcp |
| Gr 1 | Coolmore Stud Stakes | $500,000 | 1200m | 3yo SW |
| Gr 1 | Myer Classic | $500,000 | 1600m | F&M WFA |
| Gr 2 | Wakeful Stakes | $250,000 | 2000m | 3yoF SW+Pen |
| Gr 2 | Salinger Stakes | $250,000 | 1200m | Open Hcp |
| Gr 3 | Carbine Club Stakes | $200,000 | 1600m | 3yo SW+Pen |
| Gr 3 | The Lexus Stakes | $200,000 | 2500m | Quality Hcp |
| Gr 3 | Begonia Belle Stakes | $200,000 | 1100m | Mares SW+Pen |
| Tuesday 1st November 2016 – Flemington – Melbourne Cup Day | ||||
| Status | Race Name | Prizemoney | Distance | Race Type |
| Gr 1 | Melbourne Cup | $6,175,000 | 3200m | 3yo+ Open Hcp |
| Gr 3 | Maybe Mahal Stakes | $200,000 | 1400m | Mares SW+Pen |
| Gr 3 | Ottawa Stakes | $100,000 | 1000m | 2yoF SW |
| Thursday 3rd November 2016 – Flemington – Crown Oaks Day | ||||
| Status | Race Name | Prizemoney | Distance | Race Type |
| Gr 1 | Crown Oaks | $1,000,000 | 2500m | 3yoF SW |
| Gr 3 | Chatham Stakes | $200,000 | 1400m | Open Hcp |
| Gr 3 | Red Roses Stakes | $200,000 | 1100m | 3yoF SW+Pen |
| Saturday 5th November 2016 – Flemington – Emirates Stakes Day | ||||
| Status | Race Name | Prizemoney | Distance | Race Type |
| Gr 1 | Emirates Stakes | $2,000,000 | 2000m | Weight-for-age |
| Gr 1 | VRC Sprint Classic | $1,000,000 | 1200m | Weight-for-age |
| Gr 2 | Matriarch Stakes | $250,000 | 2000m | Mares SW+Pen |
| Gr 3 | Queen Elizabeth Stakes | $200,000 | 2600m | Quality Hcp |
| Gr 3 | Maribyrnong Plate | $150,000 | 1000m | 2yo SW |
| Saturday 12th November 2016 – Caulfield – Sandown Classic Day | ||||
| Status | Race Name | Prizemoney | Distance | Race Type |
| Gr 2 | Sandown Classic | $350,000 | 2400m | 2yo+ Open WFA |
| Gr 2 | Sandown Guineas | $350,000 | 1600m | 3yo SW |
| Gr 3 | Sandown Stakes | $150,000 | 1400m | Quality Hcp |
| Gr 3 | Eclipse Stakes | $150,000 | 1800m | Quality Hcp |
| Gr 3 | Kevin Heffernan Stakes | $135,000 | 1200m | Weight-for-age |
| Gr 3 | Summoned Stakes | $135,000 | 1600m | Mares SW+Pen |
| Saturday 19st November 2016 – Ballarat Cup Day | ||||
| Status | Race Name | Prizemoney | Distance | Race Type |
| LR | Ballarat Cup | $200,000 | 2200m | Open Hcp |
