Editing Spring Racing Carnival (section)

==Carnival race meetings==
The Spring Racing Carnival is made up of meetings held by the metropolitan clubs, where Group One races take place, and also at [[Geelong]] and [[Bendigo]]. With numerous [[group races]] during August and September at metropolitan tracks Flemington, Caulfield and Moonee Valley, the Spring Racing Carnival officially starts on the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes Day at Flemington, one week after the AFL Grand Final. The Spring Racing Carnival officially ends on the final day of the carnival at Sandown in mid-November.

===Caulfield Carnival===

The [[Melbourne Racing Club]] holds three race meetings at [[Caulfield Racecourse]], each with major [[Group one]] races.
* The [[Caulfield Guineas]], [[The Thousand Guineas|Caulfield Thousand Guineas]] and [[Caulfield Stakes]] is held on the Saturday three weeks before the [[Victoria Derby]].  Other group races are held on this day, including the [[Toorak Handicap]] and [[Herbert Power Stakes]].
* The [[Ladies Day Vase]] and [[Blue Sapphire Stakes]] are held on the Wednesday following the Saturday Caulfield Guineas.
* The [[Caulfield Cup]] is held on the Saturday on the weekend following the Guineas meeting.

===Geelong Carnival===

The Geelong Racing Club hosts its Group 3 [[Geelong Cup]] at the [[Geelong Racecourse]] on the Wednesday between the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate. The meeting also has a couple of Listed races, The 3YO Geelong Classic and The Rosemont Stud Stakes. The day is a public holiday in Geelong's metropolitan area.

===Moonee Valley Carnival===
The [[Moonee Valley Racing Club]] holds a two-day carnival at the [[Moonee Valley Racecourse]]. The [[Manikato Stakes]] is held on the Friday night following the Caulfield Cup.  
The club's highlight is the [[Weight for Age]] [[W. S. Cox Plate|Cox Plate]] race held on the next day with a host of other Group races including the [[Moonee Valley Gold Cup]], [[Crystal Mile]] and [[Moonee Valley Vase]].

===Bendigo Carnival===

The Bendigo Jockey Club hosts its Group 3 [[Bendigo Cup]] on the Wednesday between the Cox Plate and the VRC Derby Day.

===Melbourne Cup Carnival===

The [[Victoria Racing Club]]'s meetings attract the most attention from the media and the wider community.
* The [[Victoria Derby]] is held on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup.  It is a set-weights race for three-year-old horses.  Other well known races on this day include the [[Cantala Stakes]], [[Empire Rose Stakes]] and [[Hotham Handicap]] (the winner of this receiving a final spot in the Melbourne Cup field). Traditionally, the Melbourne Cup field is announced following the conclusion of the last race on this day.
* The [[Melbourne Cup]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.racenet.com.au/melbourne-cup|title=Melbourne Cup 2018 {{!}} Horses, Field, Race Time, Results & Form Guide|website=www.racenet.com.au|language=en|access-date=2018-08-08}}</ref> handicap race is held on the first Tuesday in November, and is a [[public holiday]] in Melbourne, but the Cup is witnessed by those all around Australia as well as internationally.
* The [[Crown Oaks|VRC Oaks]] race is held on the Thursday following the Cup. It is a three-year-old fillies race, and traditionally the race meeting has been known as 'ladies' day'.
* The [[Champions Stakes (VRC)|Mackinnon Stakes]] is held on the Saturday following the Oaks, and traditionally it has been known as 'family day'. Other notable races run on this day are the [[VRC Sprint Classic]] and [[VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes]].

===Sandown Carnival===

The [[Melbourne Racing Club]] holds the last official meeting of the Spring Racing Carnival at [[Sandown Racecourse]]. This day includes the Group 2 [[Sandown Guineas]] and the Group 2 [[Zipping Classic]] and occurs in mid November, one week after [[Champions Stakes (VRC)|Mackinnon Stakes]] day.