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Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival 2026 | Dates, Group 1 Races & Tips
The Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival is Victoria’s start-of-year block of top-class thoroughbred racing — an eight-week program running from late January through to late March across Flemington, Caulfield, Moonee Valley and Sandown. The carnival features 10 Group 1 races headlined by the $1.5 million Newmarket Handicap, Australian Cup and Blue Diamond Stakes, plus the $3 million All-Star Mile.
Below you’ll find the 2026 Melbourne Autumn Carnival schedule, race-by-race previews, betting markets and best bookmakers for autumn racing. For our latest tips, visit our horse racing tips hub. For the Sydney autumn program that runs alongside it, see our Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival guide.
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Melbourne Autumn Carnival Structure
The carnival is built around four key meeting blocks:
- Early Autumn (late Jan – early Feb) — opens with the Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley and the CF Orr Stakes at Caulfield.
- Black Caviar Lightning Day (mid-Feb) — Flemington’s day of sprint, headlined by the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m).
- Blue Diamond Day (late Feb) — Caulfield’s juvenile showpiece, with the Blue Diamond Stakes (2YOs), Oakleigh Plate and Futurity Stakes on the same card.
- Super Saturday (early Mar) — Flemington’s three-G1 card: Newmarket Handicap, Australian Cup and Australian Guineas.
- Late Autumn (mid-to-late Mar) — All-Star Mile (rotating venue) and the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley close out the carnival.
Group 1 Races at the Melbourne Autumn Carnival
The full Group 1 program at the 2026 Melbourne Autumn Carnival:
| Race | Distance | Class | Venue | Date Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CF Orr Stakes | 1400m | Group 1 WFA | Caulfield | Early Feb |
| Australia Stakes | 1200m | Group 1 WFA | Moonee Valley | Late Jan |
| Lightning Stakes | 1000m | Group 1 WFA | Flemington | Mid-Feb |
| Oakleigh Plate | 1100m | Group 1 Handicap | Caulfield | Late Feb |
| Blue Diamond Stakes | 1200m | Group 1 2YO SW | Caulfield | Late Feb |
| Futurity Stakes | 1400m | Group 1 WFA | Caulfield | Late Feb |
| Australian Cup | 2000m | Group 1 WFA | Flemington | Early Mar (Super Saturday) |
| Newmarket Handicap | 1200m | Group 1 Handicap | Flemington | Early Mar (Super Saturday) |
| Australian Guineas | 1600m | Group 1 3YO SW | Flemington | Early Mar (Super Saturday) |
| All-Star Mile | 1600m | Group 1 WFA | Rotating | Mid-Mar |
| William Reid Stakes | 1200m | Group 1 WFA | Moonee Valley | Late Mar |
Melbourne Autumn Carnival Betting Markets
Autumn racing is one of the year’s biggest betting blocks outside the Melbourne and Sydney Cup carnivals. Key markets include:
- Blue Diamond Futures — all-in markets open from late December.
- Super Saturday Quaddies — see our Quaddie calculator guide.
- Same Race Multis — see our Same Race Multi guide.
- Each-Way & Exotics — place, quinella, exacta, trifecta and First 4 across all 10 Group 1s.
Melbourne Autumn Carnival FAQs
When is the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival?
The Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival runs from late January through to late March each year across Flemington, Caulfield, Moonee Valley and Sandown.
What is the biggest race of the Melbourne Autumn Carnival?
The $3 million All-Star Mile (1600m) has the richest prize pool, with the $1.5 million Newmarket Handicap, Australian Cup and Blue Diamond Stakes sharing top billing among the traditional Group 1s.
How many Group 1 races are at the Melbourne Autumn Carnival?
There are 10 Group 1 races: CF Orr Stakes, Australia Stakes, Lightning Stakes, Oakleigh Plate, Blue Diamond Stakes, Futurity Stakes, Australian Cup, Newmarket Handicap, Australian Guineas, All-Star Mile and William Reid Stakes.
What is Super Saturday?
Super Saturday is the Flemington feature raceday in early March that hosts three Group 1 races on the one card — the Newmarket Handicap, Australian Cup and Australian Guineas — making it the richest single raceday of the Melbourne autumn.
Looking for the best bookmakers to bet on the Melbourne Autumn Carnival?
At BettingPro.com.au, we rank the best Australian online betting sites for horse racing throughout the autumn. For a full comparison, see our best horse racing betting sites in Australia guide.
#AD 18+ T&Cs Apply Imagine what you could be buying instead. For free & confidential support call 180 0858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
#AD 18+ T&Cs Apply Imagine what you could be buying instead. For free & confidential support call 180 0858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
Exclusive 365AUCODE referral code: bet365 does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers.18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival 2026 Results
- All-Star Mile 2026 result — won by Tom Kitten
- Australian Cup 2026 result — won by Light Infantry Man
- Blue Diamond Stakes 2026 result — won by Streisand