Spring Racing Carnival Launched

The 2010 Victorian Spring Racing Carnival was officially kicked into action in spectacular fashion at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) today with an emphasis on the history of the Carnival and champions of past eras.


The coveted Spring Carnival spoils, two cups and a plate.

The world's greatest racing carnival was launched in conjunction with the official opening of the Champions - Thoroughbred Racing Gallery in its new home at the National Sports Museum (NSM) at the MCG.

Three equine members of the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, Might And Power, Better Loosen Up and Northerly, were shown the way onto the MCG arena by 1992 Melbourne Cup winner Subzero. The heroes were accompanied by some of the people who loved and knew them best during their great careers.

Might and Power who was trained by the late Hall of Famer Jack Denham, won the 1997 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and the 1998 Cox Plate, and was reunited with his proud owner Nick Moraitis AM, in emotional scenes reminiscent of his crowd high fiving run down the Moonee Valley straight after the champion's Cox Plate victory.

Better Loosen Up won the 1990 Cox Plate for Hall of Fame trainer David Hayes before taking on the world and winning the Japan Cup two starts later in the same year. Michael Clarke, who was in the saddle for those two wins and all of his eight Group 1 victories led the 25 year-old onto the arena.

Northerly, ‘The Fighting Tiger', won the 2001 and 2002 Cox Plates as well as the 2002 Caulfield Cup and was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame this year. He was joined by jockey Greg Childs who was unbeaten in six rides on the champ including his Caulfield Cup victory.

High profile past and present jockeys and trainers from all parts of Australia took part in a parade of trophies signifying the vast array of Group 1 and country cup days run throughout the state during the Spring Racing Carnival.

More than 750,000 people are expected to attend the 50 day spectacular which takes in 96 race meetings in Melbourne and throughout country Victoria, featuring some of the most coveted races on the Australian turf, and carrying total prize money in excess of $40 million.

Racing Victoria Chief Executive, Rob Hines, said the Spring Racing Carnival is something all Victorians should be very proud of.

“Today's launch celebrates 50 days of world-class thoroughbred racing, covering the entire state of Victoria and putting the Victorian racing industry in the international spotlight.

“With a week of carnival racing already behind us, including a fabulous meeting at Flemington last Sunday featuring the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes, the momentum will build from here with the three-day Caulfield Spring Racing Carnival kicking off this Saturday.

“Racing has a long history in Australia and this year's Carnival will be highlighted by the 150th running of one of the most famous races in the world, the Emirates Melbourne Cup, with record prize-money of $6.175 million.

“Our iconic feature races, the $2.5 million BMW Caulfield Cup on 16 October, the $3 million Tatts Cox Plate on 23 October and the Emirates Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November, are the most sought after races by owners, trainers and jockeys in Australia and New Zealand. This has been the case throughout the history of racing in this country.

“Now the world is also chasing our most famous races. This year, we will see a record number of international competitors from around the world coming to Melbourne for a tilt at the major races and many of the support races as well.

“Horses from Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, Dubai, England, Ireland, France and New Zealand will take on the Aussies to contest Melbourne's spring features.

“For the first time since 2007 we will have a Japanese competitor in the Carnival. The Kenji Nonaka-trained Tokai Trick is the iron horse of Japanese racing and being aimed at both the BMW Caulfield Cup and the Emirates Melbourne Cup.

“When the Japanese last came to Australia in 2006, stablemates Delta Blues and Pop Rock finished first and second in the Melbourne Cup, so we are excited to have them competing once again.

“This year we will also see the first horses to come from Macau to compete in Australia, Luen Yat Forever and Good Control, further expanding the internationalisation of our racing.

“The Victorian Spring Racing Carnival is unrivalled in its popularity by any other sporting event in this country and we look forward to welcoming people from across the nation and internationally to enjoy our Spectacular Spring Racing.”

In 2009, more than 716,000 people attended the Spring Racing Carnival, generating $507.9 million in Gross Economic Benefit for the Victorian economy. The Carnival attracts tens of thousands people from all parts of Australia and importantly will attract tourists from many international destinations.

Over the next 50 days there will be 13 metropolitan and 83 country race meetings across Victoria. The Carnival will feature 15 Group 1 races and 25 country cups will be run, with a record $41 million in prize money up for grabs.

The Spring Racing Carnival will conclude with the Ballarat Cup meeting being run for the first time on a Sunday on 21 November.

The Champions - Thoroughbred Racing Gallery was officially opened by the Deputy Premier and Minister for Racing Rob Hulls, as the newest addition to the NSM at the MCG.

The history of Australian horse racing now takes pride of place alongside other elite sports and shares in their key milestones. The gallery is a magnificent celebration of the careers and lives of the champions of the sport throughout history. Names like Phar Lap, Tommy Smith, Tulloch, Roy Higgins, Bart Cummings, Carbine, Colin Hayes and Scobie Breasley are all celebrated here.

The thousands of visitors who come to the NSM each year will now be able to enjoy a brand new permanent gallery dedicated to thoroughbred racing.

As Australia's only multi-sport museum, the outstanding NSM provides the perfect home for the amazing collections and displays of the Australian Racing Museum, whose previous home - at Melbourne's Federation Square - closed its doors in November 2009.

The Champions Gallery features some of the most beautiful and important horse racing treasures imaginable, as well as some “gems” that have never been displayed before.

In addition, it features a suite of multimedia experiences, including some of the oldest racing footage from around the country and the opportunity for visitors to design their own racing colours.

The Spring Racing Carnival is truly 50 days that will amaze.

Click here for more information on the Carnival.