Festivals

Every year Sydney is host to an excellent range of races held minutes from the CBD at the esteemed Royal Randwick racecourse. Conducted by the Australian Jockey Club (AJC), the leading Randwick races take place during the AJC’s two premier racing carnivals, the Sydney Autumn and the Sydney Spring Carnivals, which are home to all of New South Wale’s elite black type events. The Autumn Carnival runs from February until May each year and the Spring Carnival sees a range of elite Group races held from early August through until October. There are also around 40 other Saturday and mid-week meetings happening all throughout the year at Randwick ensuring that the racing action never stops!

On this site we will detail all the major race days held at Randwick as part of the autumn and spring carnivals, listing all the race information for the Group 1 events. Further down the page you will find a complete list of these feature races by their Group status.

festivals


Randwick Races – Autumn Carnival Racedays

The Sydney Autumn Carnival races are held at the four major racecourses in Sydney, the two principal tracks being at the Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens. As part of this premier series of meetings, Randwick hosts six elite race days, they are: Challenge Stakes Day, Chipping Norton Stakes Day, Randwick Guineas Day, Australian Derby Day, Doncaster Handicap Day and the Sydney Cup Day. These race days attract the biggest crowds and largest wagers and are the events Randwick is most well-known for.


Challenge Stakes Day

This is the first major raceday of the Sydney Autumn Carnival and is held around the second Saturday of February. No Group 1 races are held at this meeting but there are a number of other excellent stakes races including the Group 2 Royal Sovereign Stakes (1200m), Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m), Group 2 Breeders Classic (1200m) and the Group 3 Frederick Clissold Stakes (1200m).


Chipping Norton Stakes Day:

This raceday is home to the first Group 1 race of the Carnival, the Chipping Norton Stakes and is held on the first Saturday of March. The other races held at this meeting are the Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m), Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) and the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m).

Chipping Norton Stakes:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 1600m
Stakes:
 $300 000
Qualifications:
 Weight-for-age


Randwick Guineas Day:

Held the following Saturday after the Chipping Norton Stakes Day, the feature race of this meeting is the Group 1 Randwick Guineas. Other great races also on the card include the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) and three Group 3 events, the Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m), Skyline Stakes (1200m) and the Randwick City Stakes (2000m).

Randwick Guineas:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 1600m
Stakes:
 $550 000
Qualifications:
 3YO – Set Weights


Australian Derby Day:

Australian Derby Day is held at the tail end of the Autumn Carnival in early April. The highlight event of the day is the Group 1 AJC Australian Derby, which is the second richest Randwick race of the carnival. This is the first carnival meeting held at Randwick to feature more than one Group 1 race, the other being The Galaxy. Aside from these elite races, the day also sees the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m), Group 2 Sapphire Stakes (1200m) and the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) run.


AJC Australian Derby:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 2400m
Stakes:
 $1.3 million
Qualifications:
 3YO – Set Weights

The Galaxy:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 1100m
Stakes:
 $300 000
Qualifications:
 Open Handicap


Doncaster Handicap Day:

The Doncaster Handicap Day held on the second last Saturday in April is the most anticipated, high status and lucrative race day at Randwick all year. The race card boasts an impressive four Group 1 events and another two Group 3 races and the total prize money on offer is close to $3 million. The showcase event is the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap, the most celebrated of all Randwick races. Following this are the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes, AJC Australian Oaks and AJC Sires Produce Stakes, as well as the Group 3 races the Frank Packer Plate (2000m) and the South Pacific Classic (1400m).


Doncaster Handicap:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 1600m
Stakes:
 $1.5 million
Qualifications:
 Open Handicap


TJ Smith Stakes:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 1200m
Stakes:
 $350 000
Qualifications:
 Weight-for-age


AJC Australian Oaks:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 2400m
Stakes:
 $350 000
Qualifications:
 3YO Fillies – Set Weights


AJC Sires Produce Stakes:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 1400m
Stakes:
 $300 000
Qualifications:
 2YO – Set Weights


Sydney Cup Day:

The final day of the Sydney Autumn Carnival, Sydney Cup Day is held on the last Saturday in April. The meeting ensures that the carnival ends with a bang as there are four fantastic Group 1 events conducted as well as a final Group 2 race. The feature race of the day is the Sydney Cup, followed by the Group 1 events the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, All Aged Stakes, and the Champagne Stakes. Finally, the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1600m) concludes the day and the carnival.


Sydney Cup:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 3200m
Stakes:
 $700 000
Qualifications:
 Open Handicap


Queen Elizabeth Stakes:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 2000m
Stakes:
 $350 000
Qualifications:
 Weight-for-age


All Aged Stakes:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 1400m
Stakes:
 $300 000
Qualifications:
 Weight-for-age


Champagne Stakes:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 1600m
Stakes:
 $300 000
Qualifications:
 2YO – Set Weights


Randwick Races – Spring Carnival Racedays

Though not quite as famous as the Autumn Carnival meetings, the feature race days held at the Royal Randwick during the Sydney Spring Carnival are still home to a plethora of elite racing events. The major Randwick meetings during spring are: San Domenico Stakes Day, Warwick Stakes Day, Chelmsford Stakes Day, George Main Stakes Day and the Epsom Handicap Day. There are far less Group 1 races held during this carnival in comparison to the action packed line-up in autumn, however there are still many top quality black-type events throughout these race days to entertain the spectators, punters and other racing enthusiasts.


San Domenico Stakes Day:

This is the second race meeting of the carnival, the first at Randwick. Held on the second Saturday in August, it is host to only one high stakes event, the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes, which is a 1000m run for three-year-olds at set weights plus penalties; a nice sprint race to kick off the carnival.


Warwick Stakes Day:

Warwick Stakes Day is held two weeks after the San Domenico in August and features five black-type events, the Group 2Warwick Stakes (1400m), Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (1200m), Group 3 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) and two listed races, the Show County Quality Handicap (1200m) and the Toy Show Quality Handicap (1400m).


Chelmsford Stakes Day:

Chelmsford Stakes Day on the first Saturday of September is another great race meeting host to a number of quality Group and listed events leading up to some of the more lucrative and higher status races of the Spring Carnival. The showcase race of the day is the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m). Other events include the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1400m), the Group 3 Tramway Quality Handicap (1400m) and the listed Ming Dynasty Quality Handicap (1400m).


George Main Stakes Day:

The George Main Stakes Day held at the end of September is the event all Randwick racegoers anticipate. It is host to the first Group 1 event held at the racecourse during the carnival, the prestigious George Main Stakes. With many other great races also taking part on this day, it is one of the most attended and lucrative meetings during spring. Other events include the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1400m), Group 3 Colin Stephen Quality Handicap (2400m), Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m), and the listed Nivison (1200m), Reginald Allen Quality Handicap (1400m) and Dulcify Quality Handicap (1800m).


George Main Stakes:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 1600m
Stakes:
 $300 000
Qualifications:
 Weight-for-age


Epsom Handicap Day:

Taking place on the first Saturday of October, the Epsom Handicap Day marks the end of the Sydney Spring Carnival and is also the richest and most celebrated day of racing at Randwick. The race card has a top line-up of fantastic events, featuring the most black-type races of any Sydney Spring meet. The headline race is the Group 1 Epsom Handicap, and other Group 1 events are The Metropolitan, Flight Stakes and the Spring Champion Stakes. Crowds are kept enthralled after these elite races with the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m), Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m), the Group 3 Craven Plate (2000m), as well as the listed Angst Stakes (1400m), Breeders Plate (1000m) and Gimcrack Stakes (1000m).


Epsom Handicap:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 1600m
Stakes:
 $350 000
Qualifications:
 3YO &Up – Open Handicap


The Metropolitan:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 2400m
Stakes:
 $350 000
Qualifications:
 3YO & Up – Open Handicap


Flight Stakes:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 1600m
Stakes:
 $300 000
Qualifications:
 3YO Fillies – Set Weights


Spring Champion Stakes:
Status:
 Group 1
Distance:
 2000m
Stakes:
 $300 000
Qualifications:
 3YO – Set Weights


Randwick Races – Other Major Racedays:

Outside of the premier racing carnivals held at Randwick, there are also a number of other quality meetings that take place in summer featuring Group events. In December Randwick hosts the Group 2 Villers Stakes (1600m) an open handicap event worth $150 000, and the Group 3 Summer Cup (2400m) another open handicap race with stakes set at $125 000.


Randwick Races – List of Feature Races by Group Status:

Group 1:

  • Chipping Norton Stakes
  • Randwick Guineas
  • AJC Australian Derby
  • The Galaxy
  • Doncaster Handicap
  • TJ Smith Stakes
  • AJC Australian Oaks
  • AJC Sires Produce Stakes
  • Sydney Cup
  • Queen Elizabeth Stakes
  • All Aged Stakes
  • Champagne Stakes
  • George Main Stakes
  • Epsom Handicap
  • The Metropolitan
  • Flight Stakes
  • Spring Champion Stakes

Group 2:

  • Royal Sovereign Stakes
  • Light Fingers Stakes
  • Breeders Classic
  • Surround Stakes
  • Challenge Stakes
  • Chairman’s Handicap
  • Sapphire Stakes
  • Emancipation Stakes
  • Warwick Stakes
  • Chelmsford Stakes
  • Furious Stakes
  • Stan Fox Stakes
  • The Shorts
  • Roman Consul Stakes
  • Villers Stakes

Group 3:

  • Frederick Clissold Stakes
  • Liverpool City Cup
  • Kindergarten Stakes
  • Sweet Embrace Stakes
  • Skyline Stakes
  • Randwick City Stakes
  • Adrian Knox Stakes
  • Frank Packer Plate
  • South Pacific Classic
  • San Domenico Stakes
  • Up And Coming Stakes
  • Silver Shadow Stakes
  • Tramway Quality Handicap
  • Colin Stephen Quality Handicap
  • Bill Ritchie Handicap
  • Craven Plate
  • Summer Cup