Top 5 WA Horse Racing Events
February 3rd, 2012 Posted in Horse Racing | No Comments »Horse racing is third most popular sport in Australia, with the first two being rugby league and Australian football. Australia has two variants of horse racing—flat racing and hurdle racing.
The European settlers had brought the sport to Australia, and today, the sport is highly regulated, with Australia having the world’s largest number of race courses. Australia has the second largest number of horses participating in races annually, with the first position going to the US. It also gives away the third largest amount of money as horse racing prizes, after US and Japan.
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There is no dearth of horse racing events in Western Australia, especially in Perth. Racing calendars can be viewed online by horse racing enthusiasts who wish to attend these events.
Here are five of the best Australian horseracing events in Perth:
Perth Spring and Summer Racing Carnival
This horse racing event commences in late October and continues till the February of the following year. The venue is the prestigious Ascot Racecourse in Perth, and the event features the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic and the Group 1 $1 Million Railway Stakes, among others.
The first race of the Perth Spring and Summer Racing Carnival is the $125k Prince of Wales Stakes, a 1200-meter sprint. The most popular horse race in Perth is the $1 Million Railway Stakes, a 1600-meter open handicap race, among the richest thoroughbred races in Perth.
Perth Autumn Racing Carnival
The Autumn Racing Carnival comprises a collection of four horse races held in March and April every year, with the focus being on the Group 1 WATC Derby. The first event of the Perth Autumn Racing Carnival is the Hyperion Stakes, a 1400-meter race with a prize of $150k, held on any Wednesday in the middle of March. The last event is the WATC Derby, a 2400-meter race with a prize of $500k.
Perth Winter Racing Carnival
The Perth Winter Racing Carnival comprises the last of the Perth Group Races held in Belmont Park in May and June. In May the Roma Cup, a 1200-metre race with a prize of $125k is held; and in June, the Belmont Sprint, a 1400-metre handicap race with a prize of $125k is held, the last race in Perth.
Magic Millions Race Day
The Magic Millions Race Day is a day to look forward to in the Perth horse racing calendar. This year, it is scheduled for Feb 11 Saturday from 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m. The venue is the Ascot and the event comprises two races with a prize of $250k and a prestigious trophy.
Perth Cup Day
The Perth Cup Day forms part of the Perth Summer Carnival and is held on ever New Year Day. This is a 2400-meter open handicap race with a breathtakingly large prize pool of $400k. The event attracts a large number of horse racing punters and viewers. The venue is the Ascot Racecourse in Perth, believed to be the toughest place for a thoroughbred to prove his/her worth.
