Thoroughbred racing is the third most attended spectator sport in Australia, behind Australian rules football and rugby league. Almost two million spectators attended the 330 racecourses throughout Australia in the 2007-2008 season.

Whilst there might be dozens of races every day, here are five you don’t want to miss.

Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup is the richest and most prestigious two mile handicap thoroughbred race in the world. It is held on the first Tuesday in November (generally a public holiday) at the Flemington course in Melbourne.

It is a Grade One handicap race open to horses aged three or over and is run over a distance of 3,200 metres (approximately two miles).

The Melbourne Cup is Australia’s most famous horse racing event, and is nicknamed ‘The Race That Stops A Nation’.

Victoria Derby

The Victoria Derby is also held at Flemington on the first day of Melbourne’s annual Spring Racing Carnival (in October or November). Victoria Derby Day is the only race day in Australia where each and every race has Group Status and so it is one of the nation’s biggest racing days.

The Victoria Derby is a Group One race run over a distance of 2,500 metres. First run in 1855, it is open to any three year old horse although it has been over eighty years since a filly last won the race.

Cox Plate

The Cox Plate is held at the Moonee Valley Racing Club in Moonee Ponds, a suburb of Melbourne. It is run in October each year and is held as part of the course’s Victorian Spring Racing Carnival.

The Cox Plate is a Group One race for three-year-olds and over. It is considered to be the ‘Weight for Age’ championship of Australasia and is run over 2,040 metres. First run in 1922, its position as one of the world’s leading races was confirmed in 1999 when it became the only southern hemisphere race to be included in the World Series Racing Championship – the global ‘grand prix’ of thoroughbred racing.

Crown Oaks

The Crown Oaks is the third major race held at Flemington. Crown Oaks Day is held annually on the first Thursday of November, the third day of Melbourne’s annual Spring Racing Carnival. Oaks Day has also become known as ‘Ladies Day’ over recent years.

The Crown Oaks is a Group One race run over a distance of 2,500 metres. It is one of Australia’s leading events for three year old fillies and the competing three-year-olds all carry set weights of 55.5kg.

Caulfield Cup

The Caulfield Cup is held at the Caulfield track, home to the Melbourne Racing Club.

The Caulfield Cup is held during the Caulfield Racing Carnival every spring. It is normally held in mid October, around two weeks before the Melbourne Cup. The Caulfield Cup is a Group One race run over 2,400m and is worth an astonishing $2.5million in prize money plus over $40,000 in trophies.

It is one of the world’s richest thoroughbred races of its type and is one of Australia’s toughest handicap races.

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