Our Everest 2026 tips: Ka Ying Rising is our best bet from barrier 11 if the Heavy 8 track holds, with Tempted the danger from the rail.
The Sydney Spring Racing Carnival is NSW’s headline spring block of racing, an 11-week program running from late August through to late October / early November across Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens. Built around the $20 million Everest (the world’s richest turf race) and the $10 million Golden Eagle, the carnival is built around a run of Group 1 Saturdays and the single-richest day of Australian sprint racing.
Below you’ll find the 2026 Sydney Spring Racing 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 spring program running alongside it, see our Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival guide.
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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 five key Saturdays:
The full Group 1 program at the 2026 Sydney Spring Racing Carnival:
| Race | Distance | Class | Venue | Date Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winx Stakes | 1400m | Group 1 WFA | Randwick | 22 Aug (run) |
| Golden Rose | 1400m | Group 1 3YO SW | Rosehill | 26 Sep (run) |
| King Charles III Stakes (George Main) | 1600m | Group 1 WFA | Randwick | 17 Oct (Everest Day) |
| Epsom Handicap | 1600m | Group 1 Handicap | Randwick | 3 Oct (run) |
| Flight Stakes | 1600m | Group 1 3YO Fillies SW | Randwick | 3 Oct (run) |
| Spring Champion Stakes | 2000m | Group 1 3YO SW | Randwick | 24 Oct (Spring Champion Stakes Day) |
| The Metropolitan | 2400m | Group 2 Handicap (downgraded for 2026) | Randwick | 3 Oct (run) |
| The Everest | 1200m | Group 1 WFA (slot race) | Randwick | 17 Oct (Everest Day) |
| The Golden Eagle | 1500m | Group 1 4YO SW | Randwick | 31 Oct |
| The Big Dance | 1600m | Listed · $3m | Randwick | 3 Nov (Melbourne Cup Day) |
| The Invitation | 1400m | Group 2 Fillies & Mares · $2m | Randwick | 24 Oct |
| The Ingham | 1600m | Group 2 Handicap · $2m | Randwick | December |
Two races define the modern Sydney spring and are purpose-built to rival the Melbourne Cup Carnival:
Sydney spring is one of the heaviest betting blocks of the year alongside the Melbourne spring. Key markets include:
The Sydney Spring Racing Carnival runs from late August through to late October / early November each year across Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens.
The $20 million Everest (1200m, Randwick) is the richest race of the carnival and the richest turf race in the world. The $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m, Randwick) ranks second.
The feature Group 1 races are the Winx Stakes, Golden Rose, King Charles III Stakes (formerly the George Main), Epsom Handicap, Flight Stakes, Spring Champion Stakes, The Everest and The Golden Eagle. The Metropolitan, long a Group 1, is a Group 2 in 2026 after being downgraded.
Epsom Day is the Randwick feature raceday in early October, on Saturday 3 October in 2026. It hosts the Group 1 Epsom Handicap and Flight Stakes, plus the Metropolitan, which is a Group 2 in 2026.
The carnival is split between Royal Randwick (eastern Sydney) for most of the feature Saturdays and Rosehill Gardens (western Sydney) for Golden Rose Day. The Golden Eagle moved from Rosehill to Randwick in 2025.
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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