Editing Spring Racing Carnival

{{Short description|Annual horse racing series in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}

The '''Spring Racing Carnival''' is the name of an Australian [[Thoroughbred]] [[horse racing]] series held annually in [[Melbourne]] during October and November.

==The Carnival and its status in the wider community==
Although racing in [[Australia]] is held every day except Good Friday and [[Christmas]] Day, the [[Group One]] races in [[Melbourne]] are held almost exclusively throughout the carnival, which is traditionally placed between the [[Australian rules football|football]] and [[cricket]] seasons.  During the winter (where football is dominant), and summer (where cricket is dominant), racing takes a 'back seat' position in relation to the cricket or football in terms of [[mass media|media]] coverage and attendances.  However, in spring and autumn, the mass media turns its attention to the racing.  There is also an Autumn Racing Carnival, a time where Group One races are also held.

==Economic impact==
The Spring Racing Carnival is a major contributor to the Victorian economy. According to a study conducted by market research company IER, the 2022 Spring Racing Carnival was estimated to have delivered $422.1 million in gross economic benefit to Victoria in 2022, with the Spring Racing Carnival contributing more than $3.6 billion in gross economic benefit to Victoria in the past decade, almost $1 billion more than the Australian Open tennis reported for the same period.<ref>{{cite web |title=MELBOURNE CUP CARNIVAL REMAINS THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC GENERATOR IN AUSTRALIAN SPORT |url=https://www.sen.com.au/news/2023/02/28/melbourne-cup-carnival-remains-the-biggest-economic-generator-in-australian/ |website=SEN |access-date=2 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Rolfe |first1=Peter |title=Melbourne Cup carnival tops the list of financial generators, delivering $3.6bn for Vic economy |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/melbourne-cup-carnival-tops-the-list-of-financial-generators-delivering-36bn-for-vic-economy/news-story/a9778bb43bb2aa2f041a7c3994565dcd |website=Herald Sun |publisher=News Corp |access-date=2 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Melbourne Cup Carnival remains the biggest economic generator in Australian sport |url=https://www.vrc.com.au/latest-news/melbourne-cup-carnival-remains-the-biggest-economic-generator-in-australian-sport/ |publisher=Victorian Racing Club |access-date=2 April 2023}}</ref> 

The 2017 Spring Racing Carnival injected $444.5 million into the Victorian economy, and created jobs for more than 20,000 staff and contractors, in addition to providing boosts to the retail and hospitality sectors.<ref>{{cite web |title=Melbourne Cup Carnival Keeps Victoria Ahead Of The Pack |url=https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/melbourne-cup-carnival-keeps-victoria-ahead-of-the-pack-0 |website=Premier of Victoria |access-date=2 April 2023}}</ref> 

The 2018 Spring Racing Carnival provided an economic return to the state of $447.6 million, with the event also directly employing more than 21,000 staff and contractors who worked for more than 800 companies in the lead-up and during the event.<ref>{{cite web |title=Melbourne Cup Carnival generates record economic return for Victoria |url=https://djsir.vic.gov.au/about-us/news/melbourne-cup-carnival-generates-record-economic-return-for-victoria |publisher=Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions |access-date=2 April 2023}}</ref>

The 2019 Spring Racing Carnival has been credited with injecting US$196.2 million directly into the Victorian economy; when considering total spending by all attendees at the Spring Racing Carnival, the event generated a gross economic benefit of US$521.8 million.<ref>{{cite web |title=VICTORIAN SPRING RACING CARNIVAL - MAJOR RACING EVENTS AND TOURISM |url=https://assets.website-files.com/5fbb9d76da2197061d07b175/601e0c7052c60d5705cb982d_C1%20Victoria%20Spring%20Carnival%20(HR).pdf |website=ASIAN RACING FEDERATION JURISDICTIONS – AN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT |access-date=2 April 2023}}</ref>

==Attendance<ref>{{cite web |title=Track records and attendances |url=https://www.vrc.com.au/racing/track-records-and-attendances/ |publisher=Victorian Racing Club |access-date=22 June 2022}}</ref>==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%;"
|-
! Year
! Derby Day
! Melbourne Cup
! Oaks
! Stakes
! Melbourne Cup Carnival Total
! Caulfield Cup<ref>{{cite web |title=Caulfield Racecourse Crowds |url=https://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/caulfield-racecourse/crowds |website=Austadiums |access-date=22 June 2022}}</ref>
! Cox Plate<ref>{{cite web |title=Moonee Valley Racecourse Crowds |url=https://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/moonee-valley/crowds |website=Austadiums |access-date=22 June 2022}}</ref>
|- valign=top
| 2024 || 81,612<ref>{{cite web |title=Over 80,000 fans flock to Flemington for Penfolds Victoria Derby Day |url=https://www.vrc.com.au/latest-news/over-80-000-fans-flock-to-flemington-for-penfolds-victoria-derby-day/ |publisher=Victoria Racing Club |access-date=4 November 2024}}</ref> || 91,168<ref>{{cite web |title=Fairytale finish as Knight's Choice wins the Lexus Melbourne Cup |url=https://www.vrc.com.au/latest-news/fairytale-finish-as-knight-s-choice-wins-the-lexus-melbourne-cup/ |publisher=Victoria Racing Club |access-date=5 November 2024}}</ref> ||  50,873<ref>{{cite web |title=Treasurethe Moment wins memorable Crown Oaks |url=https://www.vrc.com.au/latest-news/treasurethe-moment-wins-memorable-crown-oaks/ |publisher=Victoria Racing Club |access-date=9 November 2024}}</ref> || 62,022 || 285,675<ref>{{cite web |title=Melbourne Cup Carnival closes with a celebration of champions |url=https://www.vrc.com.au/latest-news/melbourne-cup-carnival-closes-with-a-celebration-of-champions/ |publisher=Victoria Racing Club |access-date=9 November 2024}}</ref> || 25,676 || 
|- 
| 2023 || 73,056 || 84,492 || 46,596 || 58,021 || 262,165 || 25,121 || 21,021
|- 
| 2022 || 71,327 || 73,816 || 45,046 || 54,019 || 244,208 || 24,289 || 19,000
|- 
| 2021 || 5,000 || 10,000 || 10,000 || 10,000 || 35,000 || 0 || 0
|- 
| 2020 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
|- 
| 2019 || 80,214 || 81,408 || 57,296 || 57,268 || 276,186 || 28,000 || 24,648
|- 
| 2018 || 91,194 || 83,471 || 61,355 || 67,567 || 303,587 || 30,000 || 38,035
|- 
| 2017 || 87,526 || 90,536 || 63,673 || 68,873 || 310,608 || 30,000 || 32,617
|- 
| 2016 || 90,136 || 97,479 || 60,888 || 70,351 || 318,854 || || 26,000
|- 
| 2015 || 85,943 || 101,015 || 57,560 || 68,711 || 313,229 || 30,000 || 27,620
|- 
| 2014 || 90,244 || 100,794 || 64,430 || 70,051 || 325,519 || 32,000 || 28,216
|- 
| 2013 || 95,223 || 104,169 || 66,757 || 65,047 || 331,196 || 33,056 || 30,986
|- 
| 2012 || 98,823 || 106,162 || 71,825 || 74,546 || 351,356 || 35,500 ||
|- 
| 2011 || 92,336 || 105,979	|| 71,659 || 85,112 || 355,086 || 30,097 || 30,000
|- 
| 2010 || 90,361 || 110,223	|| 75,088 || 77,506 || 353,178 || 23,697 || 31,546
|- 
| 2009 || 108,178 || 102,161 || 80,112 || 78,478 || 368,929 || 43,210 || 31,000
|- 
| 2008 || 117,776 || 107,280 || 89,338 || 81,652 || 396,046 || 51,328 || 34,000
|- 
| 2007 || 115,705 || 102,411 || 95,230 || 84,067 || 397,413 || 48,529 || 34,561
|-
| 2006 || 129,089 || 106,691 || 104,131 || 78,158 || 418,069<ref>[http://www.racingvictoria.net.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1589&Itemid=250 Cup Carnival Crowd Record Smashed]</ref> || 47,551<ref>[http://www.melbourneracingclub.net.au/news/211006/ Tawqeet brings BMW Caulfield Cup glory for Hayes and Dunn]</ref> || 34,256<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060114141936/http://www.mvrc.net.au/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&sectionid=1&id=70&Itemid=180 MVRC News Archive – Moonee Valley Racing Club<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
|-
| 2005 || 115,660 || 106,479 || 100,263 || 61,382 || 383,784 || 52,000 || 44,189<ref>[http://www.racingvictoria.net.au/asset/cms/Annual%20Reports/SRC%2006%20Ecomonic%20Benefits%20Summary.pdf Economic Benefits Summary]</ref>
|- 
| 2004 || 115,542 || 98,161	 || 110,677 || 45,734 || 370,114 || 51,015 || 32,187
|- 
| 2003 || 97,059 || 122,736	 || 101,179 || 55,793 || 376,767 || 46,873 || 30,109
|- 
| 2002 || 101,898 || 102,533 || 103,269 || 47,593 || 355,293 || ||
|- 
| 2001 || 93,029 || 92,477 || 101,201 || 42,760 || 329,467 || ||
|- 
| 2000 || 92,581 || 121,015 || 96,406 || 42,311 || 352,313 || ||
|- 
| 1999 || 76,514 || 104,028 || 83,870 || 31,728 || 296,140 || ||
|- 
| 1998 || 75,805 || 100,607 || 77,301 || 31,249 || 284,962 || ||
|- 
| 1997 || 64,528 || 94,143 || 75,482 || 26,357 || 260,510 || ||
|- 
| 1996 || 64,099 || 90,149 || 67,086 || 25,736 || 247,070 || ||
|- 
| 1995 || 60,404 || 74,843 || 62,388 || 25,318 || 222,953 || ||
|- 
| 1994 || 54,467 || 81,650 || 50,176 || 22,624 || 208,917 || ||
|- 
| 1993 || 49,029 || 74,766 || 46,744 || 22,162 || 192,701 || ||
|- 
| 1992 || 45,729 || 86,206 || 50,925 || 21,495 || 204,355 || ||
|- 
| 1991 || 46,781 || 94,632 || 54,023 || 22,587 || 218,023 || ||
|- 
| 1990 || 47,497 || 92,536 || 50,196 || 21,414 || 211,643 || ||
|- 
| 1989 || 47,226 || 96,722 || 51,673 || 23,712 || 219,333 || ||
|- 
| 1988 || 44,848 || 93,440 || 48,490 || 23,341 || 210,119 || ||
|- 
| 1987 || 41,878 || 81,012 || 45,329 || 22,196 || 190,415 || ||
|- 
| 1986 || 42,824 || 87,129 || 42,649 || 21,051 || 193,653 || ||
|- 
| 1985 || 40,522 || 79,126 || 39,051 || 18,675 || 177,374 || ||
|- 
| 1984 || 39,771 || 82,740 || 40,812 || 19,739 || 183,062 || ||
|- 
| 1983 || 40,017 || 80,776 || 38,633 || 22,162 || 181,588 || ||
|- 
| 1982 || 42,519 || 91,152 || 37,028 || 19,725 || 190,424 || ||
|- 
| 1981 || 39,729 || 87,641 || 37,353 || 24,378 || 189,101 || ||
|- 
| 1980 || 38,032 || 101,261 || 37,098 || 25,262 || 201,653 || ||
|}

==Sweeps==
The carnival, and particularly the [[Melbourne Cup]] attracts the interest of many people otherwise uninterested in horse racing, and special forms of very low-stake gambling are often used for this event.  One common form for groups such as office staff is the "sweep", where each participant adds a small fee to a "pot" and draws the name of a horse like a raffle.  Prize money is distributed to the person who draws the winning horse (occasionally smaller prizes are awarded to placegetters and the last-placing horse).  A more complex and high-stakes form of the sweep is the "Calcutta", often held as a fundraising event for community organisations, which begins as in the sweep (though usually with a much higher initial stake), but which allows ticket holders to trade their tickets through an auction system.

==Special guests==
For the fashion part of the Spring Racing Carnival many special guests over the years have come to the races.
[[Paris Hilton]], [[Nicky Hilton]], [[Carson Kressley]], [[Eva Longoria]], [[Sarah Jessica Parker]], [[Kim Cattrall]], [[Naomi Campbell]], [[Nicole Kidman]], [[Gigi Hadid]] and [[Hilary Swank]].

==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.

==References==
===Notes===
{{reflist}}
===Bibliography===
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book|editor1-last=Power|editor1-first=Emily|title=Fashion & Flemington: Celebrating 50 years of Fashions on the Field|date=2012|publisher=Slattery Media Group|location=Richmond, Vic.|isbn=9781921778599}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
*[http://www.vrc.net.au/ VRC Homepage (Official)]
*[http://www.springracingcarnival.com.au RVL Spring Racing Carnival (Official)]

{{VRC Race Days and Events}}
{{Melbourne events}}

[[Category:Annual sporting events in Australia]]
[[Category:Horse racing in Australia]]
[[Category:Horse racing meetings]]
[[Category:Sport in Melbourne]]
[[Category:Carnivals in Australia]]
[[Category:Equestrian festivals]]
[[Category:Spring (season) in Australia]]