Spectacular Flemington takes centre stage in March

More than 36,000 people flocked to Flemington throughout the three-day Flemington Racing Spectacular, which included Australian Guineas Day on March 4, Super Saturday on March 11 and the newly introduced TAB Australian Cup Day on March 25.

More than 300 horses competed for over $11 million in prizemoney across 27 individual races. These races were won by 19 individual trainers and 14 individual jockeys, with some familiar faces sharing in the glory as well as the emergence of new stars.

On Australian Guineas Day racegoers cheered home New Zealand-trained filly Legarto, who won the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) for husband-and-wife training duo Bev and Ken Kelso.

Godolphin continued their dominance of Australian racing under the guidance of head trainer James Cummings, winning the final two Group 1 races for the season at Flemington in the 150^th running of the Group 1 Yulong Stud Newmarket Handicap (1200m) on Super Saturday with star sprinter In Secret and the Group 1 TAB Australian Cup (2000m) with fan favourite Cascadian on TAB Australian Cup Day.

TAB Australian Cup Day also gave racegoers their first glimpse into this year’s Lexus Melbourne Cup, with the running of The Lexus Roy Higgins (2600m). The race offered the first of six golden tickets into the ‘race that stops a nation’™ and was won by Goldman for Gai Waterhouse OAM and Adrian Bott. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of Waterhouse’s victory in the 2013 Melbourne Cup with Fiorente, a feat she is trying to replicate this year with the emerging stayer Goldman.

Off the track, the Flemington Faregound proved the place to be for racegoers of all ages, with a host of food vendors activating within the outdoor extravaganza and the Front Lawn Party Hour entertaining racegoers after the racing action had finished.

Special guests also joined the autumn racing celebrations at Flemington, including sporting legend Ricky Ponting and his wife Rianna, Collingwood star Nick Daicos, Paralympian and VRC Ambassador Emma Booth, VRC Ambassador Crystal Kimber-Peters, DJ and influencer Paris Lawrence, Australian high jumper Amy Pejkovic and partner, former Essendon footballer David Zaharakis, Atlas Dining head chef Charlie Carrington and 7 Horse Racing’s Grace Hayden.

Close to $50,000 was raised across the three race days for the VRC’s charity partners, Childhood and Racehorse Movement (CARM) and the Good Friday Appeal.  On Australian Guineas Day more than $9000 was raised for CARM while $38,000 was donated to the Good Friday Appeal as a result of fundraising initiatives on Super Saturday and TAB Australian Cup Day.

For those that couldn’t make it trackside, 7 Horse Racing and Racing.com delivered the race day broadcast to audiences at home. The 7 Horse Racing coverage was headed by legendary sports commentator Bruce McAvaney with support from co-hosts Katelyn Mallyon and Emily Bosson.

The Flemington Racing Spectacular also saw a number of digital media records broken, with more people than ever engaging with VRC generated content during the period including almost 3.9 million impressions, 777,000 video views and an increase of 143% in editorial website content views compared to 2022.

VRC Chief Executive Officer Steve Rosich said it was a spectacular result for the club.

“It’s been an absolutely fantastic two months of racing at Flemington in February and March, with close to 50,000 people attending Headquarters to witness four Group 1 race days and some of Australia’s most elite thoroughbreds,” Mr Rosich said.

“The VRC look forward to building on the success of the Flemington Racing Spectacular in years to come and cement itself as the marquee carnival outside of the iconic Melbourne Cup Carnival.”

Flemington Racecourse also showcased its versatility as an events space, hosting two music festivals and more then 48,000 people attending across Karnival and Knotfest.

Racing will return to Flemington in April for ANZAC Day Race Day on Tuesday 25 April.