The esteemed Rosehill Gardens Racecourse just outside of Sydney is home to some of Australia’s most prestigious and high status races including the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and the Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m). There are a plethora of black type races held there every year as part of both the Sydney Spring and Sydney Autumn racing carnivals. Run by the Sydney Turf Club (STC) these carnivals are two of the most highly attended and bet on events on the Australian racing calendar.
AUTUMN ROSEHILL RACES
The Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival is the major series of race meetings in New South Wales. Held annually from February until the end of April, it sees the most lucrative and anticipated Sydney races take place. The first Group 1 race held at Rosehill is the Coolmore Stud Classic (1500m). But the highlight of autumn at Rosehill is the Golden Slipper Festival in early April, featuring the $3.5million Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m), the richest two-year-olds race in the world.
There are six elite race days at Rosehill during the carnival, each packed full of exciting racing and betting opportunities. The major meetings are the Expressway Stakes Day, Apollo Stakes Day, Hobartville Stakes Day, Coolmore Stud Classic, Rosehill Guineas Day and the Golden Slipper Day.
EXPRESSWAY STAKES DAY:
The first race meeting of the carnival in early February. Features the Group 2 Expressway Stakes. Run over 1200m this weight-for-age event is worth $200 000.
APOLLO STAKES DAY:
Held around mid February, the day sees the running of the Group 2 Apollo Stakes, a 1400m weight-for-age race worth $250 000.
HOBARTVILLE STAKES DAY:
The final race day in February, the feature of this meeting is the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes. Contested by three-year-olds at set weights, this 1400m dash is worth $200 000.
Other races held on the day include the Group 2 $200 000 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m), an event for two-year-olds at set weights and the Group 3 $100 000 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) a quality handicap for fillies and mares.
COOLMORE STUD CLASSIC DAY:
This meeting in mid March features the first Group 1 autumn race at Rosehill, the $600 000 Coolmore Stud Classic (1500m), which is a quality handicap for fillies and mares.
There is another Group 1 race held on this day as well, the $400 000 Ranvet Stakes, a 2000m weight-for-age event.
Following these high-stakes features are a number of Group 2 races:
Reisling Slipper Trial run over 1200m for two-year-old fillies at set weights worth $300 000.
Todman Slipper Trial run over 1200m for two-year old colts and geldings at set weights worth $300 000.
Canterbury Stakes run over 1300m, a weight-for-age event worth $140 000.
Phar Lap Stakes run over 1500m for three-year-olds at set weights worth $140 000.
There is then one final race held, the Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes (1100m), run under open handicap conditions with stakes set at $100 000.
ROSEHILL GUINEAS DAY:
The showcase of the day is the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas, a distance race at 2000m; three-year-olds at set weights compete for the $500 000 prizemoney.
Following the Guineas are the Group 2 events:
Ajax Stakes, run over 1500m, a quality handicap worth $150 000.
Pago Pago Stakes, a 1200m sprint for two-year-old colts and geldings at set weights worth $140 000.
Magic Night Stakes, the fillies’ equivalent to the Pago Pago, also run over 1200m at set weights and worth $140 000.
Finally the Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes (1200m) takes place, a quality handicap for fillies and mares offering $100 000 prizemoney.
GOLDEN SLIPPER DAY:
Hands down the highlight of the Sydney Autumn Carnival at Rosehill, the major race of the day is the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes. Worth $3.5million it is the most lucrative race for two-year-olds in the world and is run under set weight conditions over 1200m.
There is an incredible four other Group 1 races held on this day keeping the public and the punters entertained:
The BMW is run over 2400m under weight-for-age conditions and is worth $2.25 million.
The Arrowfield Stud Stakes is raced over 2000m by three-year-old fillies at set weights competing for the $400 000 purse.
The George Ryder Stakes is run over 1500m under weight-for-age conditions and is worth $400 000.
The final Group 1 race is the Queen of the Turf Stakes. Raced over 1500m it is a weight-for-age event only for fillies and mares and is worth $400 000.
There is one final black type event on the day, the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes. Three-year-old colts and geldings at set weights compete over 2000m for the $140 000 prizemoney.
SPRING ROSEHILL RACES
Although the Sydney Spring Carnival doesn’t boast as many Group 1 races as the autumn, there is still a terrific range of quality races held at Rosehill from August through until October. The key event at Rosehill during this carnival is the $1 million Golden Rose (1400m). There are five great race days at Rosehill in spring, the Missile Stakes Day, Premiere Stakes Day, Golden Rose Day, Theo Marks Stakes Day and Gloaming Stakes Day.
MISSILE STAKES DAY:
The first race meeting of the entire Sydney Spring Carnival, the Group 3 Missile Stakes (1100m) held in early August is the only race of the day and is a weight-for-age event worth $125 000.
PREMIERE STAKES DAY:
Held in mid August, there are two races conducted on the day. The Group 2 Premiere Stakes is a 1200m weight-for-age sprint worth $150 000. The other race is the Group 3 The Run To The Rose, which is a quality handicap for three-year-olds run over 1300m and worth $125 000.
GOLDEN ROSE DAY:
This race meeting held in late August is home to the first and only Group 1 race held at Rosehill during spring. The $1 million Golden Rose is run over 1400m and is for three-year-olds at set weights.
Following up this high stakes event is the Group 3 Concorde Stakes, a quality handicap for three-year-olds and up run over 1100m worth $125 000. Two listed races, the Sheraco Stakes and the Premier’s Cup finish up the day.
THEO MARKS STAKES DAY:
Held in mid September, there are three great races on this day. The most exciting is the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes, a quality handicap for three-year-olds and up run over 1300m worth $200 000.
Following this is the Group 3 Research Stakes, a quality handicap for three-year-old fillies and mares run over 1200m and worth $125 000.
Finally the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes takes place. Another quality handicap for three-year-olds and up this time run over 2000m and worth $100 000.
GLOAMING STAKES DAY:
The final race day of the Spring Carnival held at Rosehill, the meet begins with the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes for three-year-olds at set weights, run over 1800m and worth $250 000.
Afterwards there are three Group 2 events held:
Tea Rose Stakes run over 1500m for three-year-old fillies at set weights worth $150 000.
Shannon Stakes run over 1500m by three-year-olds and up under quality handicap conditions worth $150 000.
The Hill Stakes, a weight-for-age race over 1900m worth $150 000.
Finally two listed events are held to finish up the day, the Heritage Stakes and the Starlight Stakes.
LIST OF ROSEHILL RACES BY GROUP STATUS:
Group 1:
Coolmore Stud Classic
Ranvet Stakes
Rosehill Guineas
Golden Slipper Stakes
The BMW
Arrowfield Stud Stakes
George Ryder Stakes
Queen Of The Turf Stakes
Golden Rose
Group 2:
Expressway Stakes
Apollo Stakes
Hobartville Stakes
Silver Slipper Stakes
Reisling Slipper Trial
Todman Slipper Trial
Canterbury Stakes
Phar Lap Stakes
Ajax Stakes
Pago Pago Stakes
Magic Night Stakes
Tulloch Stakes
Premiere Stakes
Theo Marks Stakes
Tea Rose Stakes
Shannon Stakes
Hill Stakes
Group 3:
Millie Fox Stakes
Star Kingdom Stakes
Birthday Card Stakes
Missile Stakes
The Run To The Rose
Concorde Stakes
Research Stakes
Kingston Town Stakes
Gloaming Stakes
Listed:
Sheraco Stakes
Premier’s Cup
Heritage Stakes
Starlight Stakes
