The Zipping Classic, formerly the Sandown Classic, is a $500,000 Group 2 weight-for-age staying race over 2400m at Sandown.
The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival is the most prestigious block of racing on the Australian calendar — a 12-week showpiece running from late August through to late November across Flemington, Caulfield, Moonee Valley and Sandown. Built around the Cox Plate, Caulfield Cup and the lead-in to the Melbourne Cup Carnival, it is the richest and most globally significant period in Australian thoroughbred racing.
Below you’ll find the 2026 Melbourne Spring Carnival schedule, race-by-race previews, betting markets and best bookmakers for spring racing. For our latest tips, visit our horse racing tips hub. For the Melbourne Cup week itself, see our Melbourne Cup Carnival guide.
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
The carnival is built around four key phases:
The Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington follows in early November — covered in detail on our Melbourne Cup Carnival guide.
The full Group 1 program at the 2026 Melbourne Spring Carnival:
| Race | Distance | Class | Venue | Date Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memsie Stakes | 1400m | Group 1 WFA | Caulfield | Late Aug |
| Makybe Diva Stakes | 1600m | Group 1 WFA | Flemington | Early Sep |
| Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes | 1400m | Group 1 Handicap | Caulfield | Mid-Sep |
| Underwood Stakes | 1800m | Group 1 WFA | Sandown | Mid-Sep |
| Turnbull Stakes | 2000m | Group 1 WFA | Flemington | Early Oct (Turnbull Day) |
| Caulfield Guineas | 1600m | Group 1 3YO SW | Caulfield | Mid-Oct (CG Day) |
| Thousand Guineas | 1600m | Group 1 3YO Fillies SW | Caulfield | Mid-Oct |
| Toorak Handicap | 1600m | Group 1 Handicap | Caulfield | Mid-Oct (CG Day) |
| Caulfield Stakes | 2000m | Group 2 WFA | Caulfield | Mid-Oct |
| Caulfield Cup | 2400m | Group 1 Handicap | Caulfield | Mid-Oct (Cup Day) |
| Manikato Stakes | 1200m | Group 1 WFA | Moonee Valley | Late Oct (Cox Plate eve) |
| Moir Stakes | 1000m | Group 1 WFA | Moonee Valley | Late Sep |
| Cox Plate | 2040m | Group 1 WFA | Moonee Valley | Late Oct |
| Geelong Cup | 2400m | Listed Handicap | Geelong | Late Oct |
| Zipping Classic | 2400m | Group 2 WFA | Sandown | Late Nov |
Three races define the Melbourne spring and are run within a fortnight of each other:
Spring is the single heaviest betting block of the year on the Australian racing calendar. Key markets include:
The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival runs from late August through to late November each year across Flemington, Caulfield, Moonee Valley and Sandown.
The $6 million Cox Plate is the richest race of the main spring program, though the Caulfield Cup ($5m) and Melbourne Cup ($8m+, covered on its own hub) sit alongside it as the carnival’s defining events.
The main spring program features 13 Group 1 races before the Melbourne Cup Carnival takes over at Flemington in early November.
The Melbourne Cup is traditionally covered as part of the Melbourne Cup Carnival — the four-day showpiece at Flemington in early November that follows the main Spring Carnival. See our dedicated Melbourne Cup Carnival page.
At BettingPro.com.au, we rank the best Australian online betting sites for horse racing throughout spring. 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
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