In Australia, horse racing is a huge tradition. It was first established all the way back in 1810, when it was officially made a sport. Since then, horse racing has gone from strength to strength in Australia, becoming an all-time classic Australian sport. 

Every year, Australia hosts a variety of different horse racing events. Some are small, while others are big. No matter the size of the event, though, there’s always a lot of people placing bets on using Australian betting sites. 

In 2024, the horse racing and sports betting industry in Australia is worth a huge $6.4bn (IBIS WORLD) — but which horse racing events should you bet on? 

The Biggest Australian Horse Racing Events

Melbourne Cup

Aussies bet A$223.8 million on the Melbourne Cup in 2021

The number one horse race in Australia is the Melbourne Cup. Known as “the race that stops the nation”, the Melbourne Cup attracts some big viewership numbers. In 2023, 1.11 million people tuned in to watch Without a Fight (Mark Zahra) take home the trophy, which was an increase on the previous year’s viewership. 

Caulfield Cup

The Caulfield Cup has officially been running since 1879

Next, there’s the 18-horse Caulfield Cup. The Caulfield Cup is an annual horse race in Melbourne that takes place at the Caulfield Racecourse. Some of the world’s best horses take part in this race, which isn’t surprising when you consider the prize money is a huge AU$5 million. 

WS Cox Plate

Northerly was the last horse to win the Caulfield Cup and WS Cox Plate in the same year (2002)

The WS Cox Plate was first held in 1922. Over 100 years later, it remains one of Australia’s best annual horse races, with prize money of AU$5,000,000 being up for grabs. The 2023 winner was Romantic Warrior, who managed to beat Mr Brightside in a tight-knit race to become the first Hong Kong-trained horse to win the tournament in its history. 

Victoria Derby

 Only one horse has won the Victoria Derby twice or more

The Victoria Derby used to be a household race in Australia. Although it’s not as popular as it used to be, it still attracts 1 million+ viewers every year and is definitely worth watching if you’re a fan of horse racing. Plus, just like all of the other horse races in Australia, it’s super easy to bet on using Australian sportsbooks. 

Horse Racing Betting Tips

Whether you plan to bet on the Melbourne Cup or the Victoria Derby, it’s a good idea to supplement your knowledge with these horse racing betting tips for beginners and pros. Let’s take a closer look. 

Browse Around for the Best Odds

Australian sportsbooks and betting sites tend to offer different odds. So, it doesn’t matter if you want to place an outright winner bet or a parlay, browse around for the best odds. You can then use whichever sportsbook has the best offer for your particular bet. 

Don’t Only Bet on the Favourite

Many horse racing bettors make the mistake of only betting on the favourite horse to win. Although this strategy can sometimes work, it’s inconsistent. For example, Vauban was the favourite to win the Melbourne Cup at 9/4 but ended up finishing 15^th. 

Research, Research, Research

Lastly, make sure to do lots of research. Your research should be focused on the win/loss records of the horses as well as the horse racing track itself. This is because some horses perform better on turf than synthetic surfaces, so the surface of the track is very important. 

Summary

You’re officially up-to-date with the best Australian horse racing events. Make sure to check them out during the year and place bets if you’re confident on the outcome. Remember, you must be aged 18 or over to place horse racing bets.