2023 AUTUMN RACING CARNIVAL
Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival Officially Underway After Glitzy Launch
March 7, 2023
Australian Turf Club (ATC) and Racing NSW today officially launched the world-renowned Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival at Sydney’s famous Royal Randwick racecourse with a host of leading racing industry stars, an Autumn Fashion show by Carla Zampatti and a live performance by Australia’s ARIA-Award winning artist Paulini.
Guests gathered at the Theatre of the Horse at Royal Randwick to celebrate six weeks of world-class racing, fashion, hospitality and events from 11 March to 15 April at Sydney’s Rosehill Gardens and Royal Randwick racecourses.
Special racing industry guests included Group 1 winning jockey Sam Clipperton, star young apprentice Tyler Schiller and elite leading Sydney trainers Paul Snowden, Adrian Bott and Annabel Neasham.
They were joined by Carnival Culinary Ambassador Executive Chef of The Star’s Flying Fish Adam Hall and fashion and television personalities including Emma Freedman, Kate Mallyon and Grace Hayden.
The Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival features 18 Group 1 races, with total prizemoney over the six weeks of $41 million, making this Australia’s richest Autumn racing carnival.
Headlining the first half of the program is the Longines Golden Slipper Carnival at Rosehill Gardens featuring the $5 million Longines Golden Slipper on 18 March – Australia’s biggest day of Group 1 racing with five Group 1 races. The Carnival opener, Chandon Ladies Day on 11 March presents the Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic, before rounding out celebrations at Rosehill Gardens on Stakes Day, the carnival’s Family Day featuring two Group 1 races and a raft of free family entertainment.
The Star Championships at Royal Randwick, the Grand Finals of Australian Racing, feature an impressive eight Group 1 races over two Saturdays. The Star Championships Day 1 on 1 April is a day steeped in tradition and history with four Group 1s – the $4 million The Star Doncaster Mile, $3 million TJ Smith Stakes, $2 million Australian Derby and $1 million Inglis Sires.
The Championships Day 2 – Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day celebrates the 70th running of the Group 1 $5 million Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes as well as the $2 million Schweppes Sydney Cup, $1 million The Star Australian Oaks and $1 million Queen of The Turf Stakes. Schweppes All Aged Stakes Day featuring a further two Group 1s presents the Carnival finale at Royal Randwick on 15 April.
A record number of international horses visiting Sydney from the UK, Ireland, Japan and New Zealand will travel to compete against Australia’s best horses across the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
Racegoers at Royal Randwick will also experience Australia’s best raceday facilities in the WINX Stand offering spectacular rooftop views, bars and live entertainment, all included in the General Admission ticket.
In a first for Australian racing, an exclusive Longines Golden Slipper “Digital Collectible” will be offered to all Longines Golden Slipper Day General Admission ticket purchasers via Ticketmaster as part of their raceday ticket. General Admission racegoers will receive an individually minted Longines Golden Slipper Digital Collectible that is stored on their Ticketmaster Collectibles Marketplace. This will be the first in a series of Digital Collectibles designed to unlock even greater value for Sydney racegoers. Today, legendary Australian fashion brand Carla Zampatti was announced as the Official Fashion Partner of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
To launch the partnership guests at today’s event previewed some of the latest Autumn runway looks, led by ATC’s Clerk of The Course horse, Aussie, in a stunning parade around the Theatre Of The Horse.
Carla Zampatti racewear will also be showcased on Chandon Ladies Day at Rosehill Gardens as the ‘Fashion Runway Partner’ of the 4th annual Pink Fashion Lunch. The social and fashion event of Autumn will see proceeds raised by the ATC Foundation supporting the McGrath Foundation to help fund McGrath Breast Care Nurses. A $20,000 18ct white gold sapphire and diamond tennis bracelet custom designed by Cerrone Jewelers will be won by one lucky guest at the lunch.
Carnival racegoers will revel in Sydney’s ‘After the Last’ concert series, headlined by internationally renowned LA-based Australian trio PNAU (DJ Set) in a Sydney-exclusive, performing live on both Longines Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill Gardens and The Star Championships Day 1 at Royal Randwick. Australia’s most popular time traveling DJ Hot Dub Time Machine and crowd favourite Furnace and the Fundamentals will also entertain racegoers, with all performances included for free in the raceday ticket.
Racegoers will also experience the trackside “Carnival Karaoke” entertainment, pop-up bars, Sydney’s most innovative street food vendors, the Pamper Lounge at Rosehill Gardens and the new Pamper Pavilion at Royal Randwick. Fashion enthusiasts will be celebrated with the popular Fashion Stakes competition, this year partnering with the Daily Telegraph’s Sydney Confidential. Racegoers can enter three categories – Best Dressed Female, Best Dressed Male and The Showstopper on Chandon Ladies Day at Rosehill Gardens and The Star Championships Day 1 at Royal Randwick.
The Longines’ Prize for Elegance will be awarded on Longines Golden Slipper Day and The Championships Day 2 – Longines Queens Elizabeth Stakes Day. In addition to award-winning restaurants at Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens led by ATC Executive Head Chef Gerry Maher, the ATC has partnered with The Star’s Flying Fish Executive Chef, Adam Hall to curate a range of fresh modern Australian menus focusing on local produce, native ingredients, and sustainable seafood to create a world-class culinary raceday experience across key carnival events.
The 2023 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival commences with Chandon Ladies Day at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday 11 March and concludes with Schweppes All Aged Stakes Day at Royal Randwick on Saturday 15 April. All carnival ticketing includes free travel on trains, buses, light rail and ferries. Racing NSW Chairman Russell Balding AO said “The Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival has cemented itself as the Grand Finals of Australian Racing. The standard of racing over the carnival will be world-class and showcase the best horses in what will be one of the most competitive carnivals to be seen for many years.”
Australian Turf Club Chairman Peter McGauran said: “The Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival attracts Australia’s best horses and horses from around the world, with a record-breaking $41 million in prizemoney to be won.’’ “With our great partners Racing NSW, the amazing thoroughbreds, jockeys and trainers will be matched with an electric atmosphere and world-class raceday experience at Sydney’s award-winning Rosehill Gardens and Royal Randwick racecourses.’’
For more information on the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and to book tickets or hospitality please visit theraces.com.au The Autumn Racing Carnival is proudly supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW Please click here for editorial imagery and please click here VNR links for editorial use from today’s Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival Launch.
Social media: @australianturfclub #WhereStoriesAreMade #RoyalRandwick #RosehillGardens
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival
Saturday 11 March – Chandon Ladies Day, Rosehill Gardens (raceday style: “a splash of pink”)
Saturday 18 March – Longines Golden Slipper Day, Rosehill Gardens (raceday style: “a touch of gold”)
Saturday 25 March – Stakes Day, Rosehill Gardens (raceday style: “a pop of colour”)
Saturday 1 April – The Star Championships Day 1, Royal Randwick (raceday style: “traditional black and white”)
Saturday 8 April – The Championships Day 2 – Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day, Royal Randwick (raceday style: “inspired by blue”)
Saturday 15 April – Schweppes All Aged Stakes Day, Royal Randwick (raceday style: “bright and bold”)