Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival

The Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival or Melbourne Festival of Racing is one of the calendar year’s early features and takes place from late January until March – April annually.

The major race days across the Carnival include Black Caviar Lightning Day that is host to the first Group 1 race of the year, Blue Diamond Stakes Day with a trio of elite level races, and Newmarket Handicap Day.

One of the latest additions in terms of big autumn races to the calendar is the The All-Star Mile (1600m) which was upgraded to a Group 1 race for the first time on Newmarket Handicap Day in 2025 having previously been a public vote, Special Conditions event. 

Gallopers from right across the country face off in the Melbourne majors that take place across the festival at all of Victoria’s premier racecourses mainly Flemington, Caulfield and Moonee Valley. Note, in 2026 with Moonee Valley undergoing a major redevelopment, key autumn carnival meetings like the William Reid Stakes card will take place at other various Melbourne racecourses.

The Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival is broken up into racecourse specific mini carnivals at each track giving punters plenty of unique betting options over the early months of each year.

2026 MELBOURNE AUTUMN RACING ODDS

Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival Odds

2026 MELBOURNE AUTUMN RACING PREVIEWS

Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival Race Previews

Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival Key Races

2026 Blue Diamond Stakes

The Blue Diamond Stakes is Melbourne’s key race for 2YOs and is known as a stallion-making feature now offering $2 million in stakes.

  • Track: Caulfield Racecourse
  • Distance: 1200m
  • Conditions: 2YO Set Weights
  • Status: Group 1
  • Prize Money: $2 million
  • First Prize: $1,200,000
  • Sponsor: Sportsbet
  • First Run: 1971
  • Reigning Champion: Streisand (2026)

2026 Australian Guineas

The Australian Guineas is a mile race for three-year-olds and good lead-up to Sydney’s ATC Derby. 

  • Track: Flemington
  • Distance: 1600m
  • Conditions: 3YOs Set Weights
  • Status: Group 1
  • Prize Money: $1,000,000
  • First Prize: $600,000
  • Sponsor: Howden
  • First Run: 1986
  • Reigning Champion: Observer (2026)

2026 Newmarket Handicap

The Newmarket Handicap is the top sprint race in Melbourne during the autumn held in early March down the famous Flemington ‘Straight Six’.

  • Track: Flemington Racecourse
  • Distance: 1200m
  • Conditions: Handicap 
  • Status: Group 1
  • Prize Money: $2 million
  • First Prize: $1,200,000
  • First Run: 1874
  • Reigning Champion: Joliestar (2025)

2026 The All-Star Mile

The All-Star Mile began as a unique public vote event first held in 2019 and taking place across rotating Victorian race tracks each March. The race gained Group 1 status for the first time ahead of the 2025 edition moving to the Newmarket Handicap Day card at Flemington. Prize money is currently set at $2 million.

  • Track: Flemington Racecourse
  • Distance: 1600m
  • Conditions: Weight-for-age
  • Status: Group 1
  • Prize Money: $2 million
  • First Prize: $1,150,000
  • First Run: 2019
  • Reigning Champion: Tom Kitten (2025 & 2026)

2026 Australian Cup

The Australian Cup, previously held on Super Saturday at Flemington in March, is now on its own feature race meeting later in the month and serves a good lead-up to Sydney’s Tancred Stakes. It now offers a generous $2.5 million in stakes.

  • Track: Flemington Racecourse
  • Distance: 2000m
  • Conditions: Weight-for-age
  • Status: Group 1
  • Prize Money: $2 million
  • First Prize: $1,200,000
  • Sponsor: TAB
  • First Run: 1863
  • Reigning Champion: Light Infantry Man (2025 & 2026)

2026 Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival Betting

Ready to gallop into the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival? Futures odds for the thrilling Group 1 races are open months in advance of the races, giving you a chance to stratergise your bets well in advance. Dive into the action by clicking the market links in our “Key Races” section above and explore the full line-up of all-in odds for the autumn season.

Melbourne Autumn Carnival betting is a favourite with punters worldwide, and for good reason! You’ll find all the classic horse racing bet types at your fingertips, plus a dash of excitement with exclusive promotional markets and special offers on select races.

Looking for an extra thrill? Spice up your betting with Group 1 doubles! Predict a champion who can conquer two predetermined races, like the CF Orr Stakes and the Futurity Stakes, and potentially score a double win on both races.

So, whether you’re a seasoned punter or a newcomer to the track, dive into the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival and let the action begin!

2026 Major Race Days

See below for the full breakdown of the major Race Days held throughout the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival 2026.

RUBITON STAKES DAY 2026

Date: Saturday February 7, 2025

Racecourse: Caulfield

Feature Races:

Previously host to the year’s first elite level feature race before the CF Orr Stakes moved to November in 2025, Rubiton Stakes Day is conducted in mid-February at Caulfield Racecourse and is now headlined by the Oakleigh Plate types facing off in the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes. The card also features a number of Group 2 support races including the three-year-olds facing off in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m). Of the other black type races the other holding Group 2 status is the Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude for youngsters heading towards the Blue Diamond Stakes later in the carnival. The Colts & Geldings’ edition of the same Prelude also runs on Rubiton Stakes Day but only holds Group 3 status.

BLACK CAVIAR LIGHTNING DAY 2026

Date: Saturday February 14, 2026

Racecourse: Flemington

Feature Races:

The first Group 1 Autumn Racing Carnival Melbourne race card run at Flemington is the Group 1 $1,000,000 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) heading the card. The race is named in honour of triple winner Black Caviar who won in 2011-13 and is supported by two Group 3 features for three-year-olds. The colts and geldings do battle in the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) as they head towards a possible run in the Australian Guineas the following month. The Frances Tressady Stakes for fillies and mares was also added to the card a few years back, moved from its previous spot on the Australian Guineas Day program.

BLUE DIAMOND STAKES DAY 2026

Date: Saturday February 21, 2026

Racecourse: Caulfield

Feature Races:

Punters are treated to a triple shot of Group 1 racing for Blue Diamond Stakes Day at Caulfield Racecourse in late February. Racing is highlighted by the season’s top two-year-olds contesting the stallion-making Group 1 $2 million Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m), which is supported by the weight-for-age Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) and the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) for the sprinters. Two Group 2 races are also part of the line-up including the Australian Cup hopes in the Group 2 Autumn Classic (1800m) for three-year-olds, while the fillies take each other on in the Group 2 Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m).

AUSTRALIAN GUINEAS DAY 2026

Date: Saturday February 28, 2026

Racecourse: Flemington

Feature Races:

In late February or early March, the action moves to Flemington for Australian Guineas Day where the marquee race is the Group 1 $1 million Australian Guineas (1600m) for the three-year-old milers, the prize money for which was increased to a million dollars for the first time in 2018. The Group 2 Blamey Stakes, also held over the mile and previously contested on its own feature race day, now runs as the key support act on the Guineas Day card and provides a nice interstate lead-up for milers that could be heading to Sydney for a shot at the Doncaster Mile at Royal Randwick that April. The Restricted Inglis Sprint for three-year-old graduates from the Inglis Sales is the other seven-figure event on Australian Guineas Day.

NEWMARKET HANDICAP DAY 2026

Date: Saturday March 7, 2026

Racecourse: Flemington

Feature Races:

Newmarket Handicap Day at Flemington runs in early to mid-March each Autumn Carnival and is headlined by the sprinters face off in the Group 1 $2 million Newmarket Handicap (1200m). Previously the Group 1 Australian Cup also ran on Super Saturday at HQ, but from 2023 has moved to its own feature race meet later in the month. A new unlisted race, the Australian Cup Prelude, now takes place on the day instead as a key lead-up to the now $2 million event. Joining the Newmarket Day line-up for the first time in 2025 is the now Group 1 All-Star Mile (1600m) currently worth $2 million, while the Group 3 Ottawa Stakes for fillies also appears on the autumn card having recently been moved from the spring. A host of other Group status support races also add interest to the line-up including the Group 2 Kewney Stakes (1400m) for fillies and the juveniles running in the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).

PETER YOUNG STAKES DAY 2026

Date: Saturday March 14, 2026

Racecourse: Caulfield

Feature Races:

A key lead-up to the popular Australian Cup race, the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes runs on its own feature meeting at Caulfield Racecourse in mid-March on the same day Sydney hosts the Coolmore Classic.

WILLIAM REID STAKES DAY 2026

Date: Saturday March 21, 2026

Racecourse: Moonee Valley (Caulfield in 2026)

Feature Races:

One of the last Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival meetings takes place Moonee Valley Racecourse (Caulfield in 2026) with William Reid Stakes running on a Saturday in late March. Following on from the Black Caviar Lighting Stakes at Flemington the elite level sprinters get a chance at a Group 1 win in the $1,000,000 William Reid Stakes (1200m). The other feature races on the day, which was previously held on the Friday night as a twilight meeting, is the weight-for-age $300,000 Group 2 Sunline Stakes (1600m) for the fillies and mares and the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes. The Group 3 Alexandra Stakes (1600m) is also run over the mile by three-year-old fillies at the meeting.

AUSTRALIAN CUP DAY 2026

Date: Saturday March 28, 2026

Racecourse: Flemington

Feature Races: 

The final Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival meeting now runs on the last Saturday in March with the $2 million Australian Cup moved from the old ‘Super Saturday’ program to feature on its own major race day at the end of the month. The Australian Cup race is accompanied by the Group 3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes for the end-of-season sprinters.

EASTER CUP DAY 2026

Date: Saturday April 4, 2026

Racecourse: Caulfield

Feature Races:

  • Group 3 $200,000 Victoria Handicap (1400m)
  • Group 3 $200,000 Easter Cup (2000m)

The Easter Cup Day action at Caulfield features a double shot of Group 3 racing with the running of the Victoria Handicap and the Easter Cup for the second-tier middle distance types.

MORNINGTON CUP DAY 2026

Date: Saturday April 18, 2026

Racecourse: Mornington

Feature Races:

Part of the wider Victorian Autumn Carnival action, Mornington Cup Day features a key Black-Type staying race often contested by potential Caulfield and Melbourne Cup hopefuls ahead of the spring with the running of the Mornington Cup over the mile and a half.

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