New South Wales is home to many of Australia’s best group races predominantly held during the Sydney Autumn and Spring Carnivals. Each year, the major metropolitan racetracks around the state’s capital city come alive with a plethora of exciting race days that take place as part of these premier racing carnivals. The two chief racecourses are the Rosehill Gardens and Royal Randwick, each hosting their own elite meetings. Royal Randwick, home to the Australian Jockey Club (AJC), is considered the leading track in Sydney and on this site we will provide all the essential information on the feature Randwick races held at this esteemed location. There is also a quality range of other races held all throughout the year at Randwick at their Saturday and mid-week race days.
Randwick Autumn Carnival
The Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival is the most prestigious event on the New South Wale’s racing calendar, offering over $22 million in prize money over the course of the carnival. Randwick is home to the first Group 1 race of the year in Sydney, the $300 000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) in March.
Following this up the following week is the Group 1 $550 000 Randwick Guineas (1600m) before the festivities move to Rosehill for a period.
A few weeks later the attention turns back to The Australian Jockey Club’s carnival in April with the running of the highly prestigious Group 1 AJC Australian Derby (2400m). Worth $1.3million the Australian Derby is the second most lucrative Randwick race. The highlight of the Randwick carnival, however, is the Doncaster Handicap (1600m). This highly celebrated Group 1 open handicap event takes place the week after the Australian Derby, and is the richest race at Randwick worth $1.5million.
The carnival and autumn Randwick races come to an end with the Sydney Cup Day at the end of April. This final meeting features four Group 1 races including the showcase race of the day the $700 000 Sydney Cup (3200m).
Randwick Autumn Carnival Racedays
Throughout the Autumn Carnival in Sydney, Randwick hosts six impressive race days.
Challenge Stakes Day held on the second Saturday in February.
Chipping Norton Stakes Day held on the first Saturday in March.
Randwick Guineas Day held the second Saturday in March.
Australian Derby Day held on the second Saturday in April.
Doncaster Handicap Day held on the third Saturday in April.
Sydney Cup Day held on the last Saturday in April.
Randwick Autumn Carnival Feature Races
The above race days see a plethora of highly competitive and entertaining group races take place. Below is a list of all the major feature Randwick races held at the course in autumn by group status, detailing the race distance, qualifying conditions and prize money for each event.
GROUP 1:
Chipping Norton Stakes: 1600m – Weight-for-age – $300 000.
Randwick Guineas: 1600m – 3YO at Set Weights – $550 000.
AJC Australian Derby: 2400m – 3YO at Set Weights – $1.3 million.
The Galaxy: 1100m – Open Handicap – $300 000.
Doncaster Handicap: 1600m – Open Handicap – $1.5million.
TJ Smith Stakes: 1200m – Weight-for-age – $350 000.
AJC Australian Oaks: 2400m – 3YO Fillies at Set Weights – $350 000.
AJC Sires Produce Stakes: 1400m – 2YO at Set Weights – $300 000.
Sydney Cup: 3200m – Open Handicap – $700 000.
Queen Elizabeth Stakes: 2000m – Weight-for-age – $350 000.
All Aged Stakes: 1400m – Weight-for-age – $300 000.
Champagne Stakes: 1600m – 2YO at Set Weights – $300 000.
GROUP 2:
Royal Sovereign Stakes: 1200m – 3YO Colts & Geldings at Set Weights – $1500 000.
Light Fingers Stakes: 1200m – 3YO Fillies at Set Weights – $150 000.
Breeders Classic: 1200m – Mares at Set Weights + Penalties – $150 000.
Surround Stakes: 1400m – 3YO Fillies at Set Weights – $150 000.
Challenge Stakes: 1000m – Weight-for-age – $150 000.
Chairman’s Handicap: 2600m – Open Handicap – $150 000.
Sapphire Stakes: 1200m – Fillies & Mares at Set Weights + Penalties – $175 000.
Emancipation Stakes: 1600m – Fillies & Mares at Set Weights + Penalties – $175 000.
GROUP 3:
Frederick Clissold Stakes: 1200m – Quality Handicap – $125 000.
Liverpool City Cup: 1300m – Quality Handicap – $125 000.
Kindergarten Stakes: 1100m – 2YO at Set Weights – $125 000.
Sweet Embrace Stakes: 1200m – 2YO Fillies at Set Weights – $125 000.
Skyline Stakes: 1200m – 2YO Colts & Geldings at Set Weights – $125 000.
Randwick City Stakes: 2000m – Quality Handicap – $125 000.
Adrian Knox Stakes: 2000m – 3YO Fillies Quality Handicap – $125 000.
Frank Packer Plate: 2000m – 3YO Set Weights – $125 000.
South Pacific Classic: 1400m – 3YO Set Weights + Penalties – $125 000.
Randwick Spring Carnival
The Sydney Spring Racing Carnival, although not as highly regarded as its autumn counterpart, still sees a great range of top races held at the major racecourses, Rosehill and Randwick. For Randwick, the new racing season begins with the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1000m) in early August, before the carnival gets in full swing later in the month. Plenty of quality Group 2, 3 and Listed races are held at Randwick early in the spring including the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) in August and the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) in early September.
The Australian Jockey Club’s Spring Carnival really heats up with the running of the first Group 1 race, the $300 000 George Main Stakes (1600m) at the end of September. From there the action doesn’t stop, with a top-quality line-up of black-type races held at Randwick through until the end of October, including the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and the Group 1 Metropolitan (2400m).
Randwick Spring Carnival Racedays
In the spring, Royal Randwick is host to five fantastic race meetings.
San Domenico Stakes Day in early August.
Warwick Stakes Day at the end of August.
Chelmsford Stakes Day on the first Saturday of September.
George Main Stakes Day on the last Saturday of September.
Epsom Handicap Day on the first Saturday of October.
Randwick Spring Carnival Feature Races
All of these race days are home to some of Sydney’s most exciting and anticipated races. Below are the race details, including the distance, qualifying conditions and stakes for all the feature group races held at Randwick throughout the Spring Carnival.
GROUP 1:
George Main Stakes: 1600m – Weight-for-age – $300 000.
Epsom Handicap: 1600m – 3YO & Up Open Handicap – $350 000.
The Metropolitan: 2400m – 3YO & Up Open Handicap – $350 000.
Flight Stakes: 1600m – 3YO Fillies at Set Weights – $300 000.
Spring Champion Stakes: 2000m – 3YO at Set Weights – $300 000.
GROUP 2:
Warwick Stakes: 1400m – Weight-for-age – $150 000.
Chelmsford Stakes: 1600m – Weight-for-age – $150 000.
Furious Stakes: 1400m – 3YO Fillies at Set Weights – $150 000.
Stan Fox Stakes: 1400m – 3YO at Set Weights – $150 000.
The Shorts: 1100m – 3YO & Up at Set Weights + Penalties – $150 000.
Roman Consul Stakes: 1200m – 3YO at Set Weights – $150 000.
GROUP 3:
San Domenico Stakes: 1000m – 3YO at Set Weights + Penalties – $125 000.
Up And Coming Stakes: 1200m – 3YO Colts & Geldings at Set Weights + Penalties – $125 000.
Silver Shadow Stakes: 1200m – 3YO Fillies at Set Weights + Penalties – $125 000.
Tramway Quality Handicap: 1400m – 3YO & Up – Open Handicap – $125 000.
Colin Stephen Quality Handicap: 2400m – 3YO & Up Open Handicap – $150 000.
Bill Ritchie Handicap: 1400m – 3YO & Up Open Handicap – $125 000.
Craven Plate: 2000m – Weight-for-age – $125 000.
There are also a number of listed races held at Randwick as part of the Sydney Spring Carnival, like the Angst Stakes, Breeders Plate and Gimcrack Stakes as well as many others.
Randwick Summer Carnival
There is one final carnival run in Sydney for the year, the Summer Racing Carnival. It is a much smaller and lower stakes event, with only two group status races held at Randwick during the hotter months.
The Group 2 Villers Stakes in mid-December is a 1600m open handicap race worth $150 000.
The Group 3 Summer Cup held on Boxing Day is a 2400m distance event run under open handicap conditions worth $125 000.
