Feature Races
The 2021 Melbourne spring racing carnival is highlighted by feature races at Flemington, Caulfield, Moonee Valley and Sandown racecourses in Victoria.
Group one racing kicks off at Caulfield in August with the running of the $1,000,000 Memsie Stakes.
Caulfield racecourse is home to the Melbourne Racing Club (MRC), which also hosts the $5,000,000 Group 1 Caulfield Cup in October.
The $5,000,000 Group 1 Cox Plate highlights the second day of the Moonee Valley Racing Club’s two-day carnival in late October at Moonee Valley, one week after the Caulfield Cup.
Champion mare Winx won four editions of Australasia’s greatest weight-for-age race in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, before retirement beckoned in April of 2019.
Brilliant Japanese galloper Lys Gracieux captured the 2019 Cox Plate, to claim the mantle of Cox Plate champion from Winx.
The premier race of the Melbourne spring racing carnival, the $7,750,000 Group 1 Melbourne Cup, takes centre stage on the first Tuesday in November at Flemington racecourse.
Spring Carnival Races
Feature Group 1 races take place on the following race days.
- Memsie Stakes Day (August, Caulfield)
- Makybe Diva Stakes Day (September, Flemington)
- Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Day (September, Caulfield)
- AJ Moir Stakes Day (September, Moonee Valley)
- Turnbull Stakes Day (October, Flemington)
- Caulfield Guineas Day (October, Caulfield)
- Caulfield Cup Day (October, Caulfield)
- Cox Plate Day (October, Moonee Valley)
- Victoria Derby Day (October, Flemington)
- Melbourne Cup Day (November, Flemington)
- VRC Oaks Day (November, Flemington)
- Mackinnon Stakes Day (November, Flemington)
Melbourne Spring Carnival Dates 2021
Below are feature race dates for all Group 1, Group 2 & Group 3 races held during the spring racing carnival in Melbourne.
| Saturday 28th August 2021, Caulfield | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gr 1 | Memsie Stakes | $1,000,000 | 1400m |
| Gr 3 | HDF McNeil Stakes | $150,000 | 1200m |
| Gr 3 | Cockram Stakes | $150,000 | 1200m |
| Gr 3 | The Heath 1100 | $150,000 | 1100m |
| Saturday 4th September 2021, Moonee Valley | |||
| Gr 2 | Feehan Stakes | $250,000 | 1600m |
| Gr 2 | McEwen Stakes | $150,000 | 1000m |
| Saturday 11th September 2021, Flemington | |||
| Gr 1 | Makybe Diva Stakes | $750,000 | 1600m |
| Gr 2 | Lets Elope Stakes | $200,000 | 1400m |
| Gr 2 | Danehill Stakes | $200,000 | 1200m |
| Gr 3 | Bobbie Lewis Quality | $200,000 | 1200m |
| Saturday 18th September 2021, Caulfield | |||
| Gr 1 | Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes | $500,000 | 1400m |
| Gr 2 | WH Stocks Stakes | $200,000 | 1600m |
| Gr 3 | How Now Stakes | $150,000 | 1200m |
| Gr 3 | Naturalism Stakes | $150,000 | 2000m |
| Friday 24th September 2021, Moonee Valley | |||
| Gr 1 | AJ Moir Stakes | $450,000 | 1000m |
| Gr 2 | Stutt Stakes | $200,000 | 1600m |
| Gr 3 | JRA Cup | $200,000 | 2040m |
| Gr 3 | Champagne Stakes | $150,000 | 1200m |
| Gr 1 | Underwood Stakes | $750,000 | 1800m |
| Gr 2 | Thousand Guineas Prelude | $200,000 | 1400m |
| Gr 3 | Caulfield Guineas Prelude | $175,000 | 1400m |
| Saturday 2nd October 2021, Flemington | |||
| Gr 1 | Turnbull Stakes | $500,000 | 2000m |
| Gr 2 | Edward Manifold Stakes | $200,000 | 1600m |
| Gr 2 | Gilgai Stakes | $200,000 | 1200m |
| Gr 2 | Rose Of Kingston Stakes | $200,000 | 1400m |
| Gr 3 | The Bart Cummings | $300,000 | 2500m |
| Saturday 9th October 2021, Caulfield | |||
| Gr 1 | Caulfield Guineas | $2,000,000 | 1600m |
| Gr 1 | Caulfield Stakes | $1,000,000 | 2000m |
| Gr 1 | Toorak Handicap | $500,000 | 1600m |
| Gr 1 | Thousand Guineas | $500,000 | 1600m |
| Gr 2 | Schillaci Stakes | $400,000 | 1100m |
| Gr 2 | Herbert Power Stakes | $400,000 | 2400m |
| Gr 3 | Thoroughbred Club Stakes | $150,000 | 1200m |
| Gr 3 | Northwood Plume Stakes | $150,000 | 1200m |
| Wednesday 13th October 2021, Caulfield | |||
| Gr 3 | Blue Sapphire Stakes | $350,000 | 1200m |
| Gr 3 | Coongy Handicap | $150,000 | 2000m |
| Gr 3 | Ladies Day Vase | $150,000 | 1600m |
| Saturday 16th October 2021, Caulfield | |||
| Gr 1 | Caulfield Cup | $5,000,000 | 2400m |
| Gr 2 | Tristarc Stakes | $200,000 | 1400m |
| Gr 2 | Caulfield Sprint | $200,000 | 1100m |
| Gr 3 | Caulfield Classic | $350,000 | 2000m |
| Gr 3 | Moonga Stakes | $150,000 | 1400m |
| Gr 3 | Ethereal Stakes | $150,000 | 2000m |
| Friday 22nd October 2021, Moonee Valley | |||
| Gr 1 | Manikato Stakes | $1,000,000 | 1200m |
| Saturday 23rd October 2021, Moonee Valley | |||
| Gr 1 | WS Cox Plate | $5,000,000 | 2040m |
| Gr 2 | Moonee Valley Cup | $500,000 | 2500m |
| Gr 2 | Crystal Mile | $200,000 | 1600m |
| Gr 2 | Moonee Valley Vase | $200,000 | 2040m |
| Gr 2 | Moonee Valley Oaks | $200,000 | 1600m |
| Gr 3 | Red Anchor Stakes | $150,000 | 1200m |
| Gr 3 | Inglis Mile | $150,000 | 1600m |
| Saturday 30th October 2021, Flemington | |||
| Gr 1 | Victoria Derby | $2,000,000 | 2500m |
| Gr 1 | Cantala Stakes | $1,000,000 | 1600m |
| Gr 1 | Coolmore Stud Stakes | $1,000,000 | 1200m |
| Gr 1 | Myer Classic | $500,000 | 1600m |
| Gr 2 | Wakeful Stakes | $300,000 | 2000m |
| Gr 2 | Linlithgow Stakes | $300,000 | 1200m |
| Gr 3 | The Lexus Stakes | $300,000 | 2500m |
| Gr 3 | Begonia Belle Stakes | $200,000 | 1100m |
| Gr 3 | Carbine Club Stakes | $200,000 | 1600m |
| Tuesday 2nd November 2021, Flemington | |||
| Gr 1 | Melbourne Cup | $7,300,000 | 3200m |
| Gr 3 | Maybe Mahal Stakes | $200,000 | 1400m |
| Gr 3 | Ottawa Stakes | $150,000 | 1000m |
| Thursday 4th November 2021, Flemington | |||
| Gr 1 | VRC Oaks | $1,000,000 | 2500m |
| Gr 3 | Red Roses Stakes | $200,000 | 1000m |
| Gr 3 | Maribyrnong Plate | $150,000 | 1000m |
| Saturday 6th November 2021, Flemington | |||
| Gr 1 | Emirates Stakes | $2,000,000 | 2000m |
| Gr 1 | VRC Sprint Classic | $1,000,000 | 1200m |
| Gr 2 | Matriarch Stakes | $300,000 | 2000m |
| Gr 3 | VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes | $300,000 | 2600m |
| Gr 3 | Chatham Stakes | $250,000 | 1400m |
| Saturday 13th November 2021, Sandown | |||
| Gr 2 | Sandown Classic | $300,000 | 2400m |
| Gr 2 | Sandown Guineas | $250,000 | 1600m |
| Gr 3 | Kevin Heffernan Stakes | $150,000 | 1300m |
| Gr 3 | Sandown Stakes | $150,000 | 1500m |
| Gr 3 | Eclipse Stakes | $150,000 | 1800m |
| Gr 3 | Summoned Stakes | $150,000 | 1500m |
The above spring racing carnival group races and dates are courtesy of premier feature races website Horse Racing Info.
Check out our Australian Racing Links to find race club websites, including Twitter and Facebook addresses.