Melbourne Cup headlines historic 2024 Spring Racing Carnival

[Wandering Eyes]

Horses round the first turn during the running of the Penfolds Victoria Derby at Flemington Racecourse on November 02, 2024 in Flemington, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Racing Photos)

Attendance figures and captivating results have highlighted the success of the 2024 Spring Racing Carnival, which drew strong engagement across Victoria.

According to official figures released by Racing Victoria (RV), nearly 600,000 people attended the event, held from August 31 to December 1.

This represents a 4% increase on 2023 figures and a 17% rise compared to 2022.

Key contributors included the Melbourne Cup Carnival, which saw a 9% boost in crowds, and regional race meetings, where six Cup events reported attendance growth of over 20%.

Prize money and bonuses awarded to participants also rose, totaling $114.1 million—up from $112.5 million in 2023—further reflecting the carnival’s robust support for owners, trainers, and jockeys.

Despite a 7% decline in domestic wagering turnover to $2.73 billion, certain milestones provided optimism.

Melbourne Cup Day maintained its strong performance with turnover matching 2023 levels, and the final four Saturdays of November saw year-on-year growth, showcasing the enduring appeal of spring racing.

On the track, standout victories added to the carnival’s narrative.
Knight’s Choice, ridden by Robbie Dolan, claimed the Lexus Melbourne Cup in a dramatic win.

Via Sistina, guided by James McDonald, dazzled in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate, while Harry Coffey delivered an emotional triumph aboard Duke De Sessa in the Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup.

RV Chief Executive Aaron Morrison emphasised the carnival’s highlights, stating:

“We were delighted with the large number of people who came to the races to witness some unforgettable performances from the stars of our sport this spring.

The buzz in the stands was more than matched by the action on the track too, with some incredible storylines headlined by Knight’s Choice’s fairytale victory in the Melbourne Cup.”

Morrison also pointed to the carnival’s broader impact, noting its momentum was fueled by strong marketing efforts, media partnerships, and community engagement.

Looking ahead, he highlighted a packed summer racing schedule, including Pakenham Cup Day, Boxing Day races, and Super Saturday in January, ensuring racing fans have much to look forward to in the months ahead.

---

Spring Racing Carnival Attendance

• A total of 589,272 people attended the Spring Racing Carnival – up from 566,402 in 2023;

• The four days of the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington were the highest attended race meetings nationally in 2024 with more than 285,000 spectators through the gates;
• The Caulfield Cup Carnival also experienced growth with just shy of 50,000 racegoers in attendance across the three days, representing a 2.7% increase on last year’s crowds;

• With capacity restricted at The Valley as the venue undergoes redevelopment, general admission tickets to Cox Plate Day again sold out with more than 20,000 people trackside.

• The revamped Grand Final Eve fixture at The Valley proved a huge hit with the crowd up 27% as close to 9,000 racegoers enjoyed Group 1 racing under lights;

• The attendance spike at many Country Cup meetings was significant with the Horsham Cup (37.4% increase), Coleraine Cup (31.3%), Benalla Cup (30.2%), Wodonga Cup (29.8%), Kyneton Cup (23.6%) and Hamilton Cup (20%) leading the way; and

• Over 2,900 people attended Gunbower Cup Day, the once-a-year Club’s first cup meeting since 2019 after the impacts of COVID and weather had put paid to each edition since.

---

Spring Racing Carnival Wagering

• Turnover on the Melbourne Cup was five times higher than any other race in the nation ,attracting $214 million domestically – the fifth consecutive year it has surpassed $200 million.

• An 11% decline in free bet turnover, coupled with macroeconomic pressures and favourable results for leading bookmakers, were the key factors in an overall decline across the three months;

• Champions Day (Flemington), Caulfield Thousand, Cranbourne Cup Day and Caulfield Spring Finale (Zipping Classic) meetings all delivered increased turnover on Saturdays in November;

• Races to enjoy strong year-on-year growth included the relocated Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes (up 44.9%), VRC Champions Mile (23.5%) and November’s Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (20.8%), while the Seymour and Kyneton Cups both delivered record turnover; and

• The AFL Grand Final public holiday weekend proved popular with racing punters, with the Bet365 Benalla Cup meeting on Friday afternoon up 4.7%, the revamped Friday night fixture at The Valley up 17.3% and Saturday’s Sandown Stakes meeting up a huge 47.6%.

---

Spring Racing Carnival Media

• The Melbourne Cup was watched by 1.9 million viewers on Nine’s free-to-air coverage, representing a 12% uplift on 2023;

• With the addition of a live broadcast on Racing.com, plus 9Now and other streaming platforms, more than 2.5 million Australians tuned in to watch the iconic race;

• Caulfield Cup Day and Cox Plate Day were also warmly embraced by fans off track with 1.39 million and 1.04 million viewers respectively tuning into Seven and 7plus on those days;

• Seven’s broadcast of Victorian feature racing throughout the Spring Racing Carnival collectively reached 4.6 million viewers nationally;

• Live racing was viewed more than two million times on Racing.com digital platforms across the Carnival with visitors taking in over 15 million minutes of live action; and

• The Racing.com Website and App also hosted more than 10 million digital sessions throughout spring, serving for the first time as the digital hub for RV’s spring marketing campaign.

---

Racing

• The Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m), won in dominant fashion by Chris Waller’s precocious three-year-old Switzerland, achieved its highest race rating since 2016;

• The Cox Plate (2040m) is in contention to claim a place in the top 10 highest-rated races of the year worldwide after Via Sistina’s record-breaking performance;

• The three Group 1 races on TAB Champions Stakes Day at Flemington are again expected to figure in the top 50 races globally of 2024 after a trio of stellar performances;

• Average field sizes at the metropolitan meetings grew year-on-year to 11.1 starters per race;

• Changes to the conditions and prizemoney of the Alinta Energy Crystal Mile (1600m) and Powerflo Solutions Tesio Stakes (2040m) on Cox Plate Day saw both attract 11 runners – up significantly on averages of 6.5 runners (Crystal Mile) and 8.5 runners (Tesio) over the previous four seasons; and

• The Schweppes Thousand Guineas attracted 13 runners for a second year in its new mid-November timeslot – up on the average of 11 per year for its last decade in mid-October.

---

Racetrack Highlights

• Knight’s Choice’s upset Melbourne Cup win delivered Queensland, ‘singing jockey’ Robbie Dolan and co-trainer John Symons their first victories in the great race. For co-trainer Sheila Laxon it was her second triumph after guiding Ethereal to the Cups double in 2001;

• Popular jockey Harry Coffey, who has battled Cystic Fibrosis throughout his life, piloted Duke De Sessa to a heartwarming Caulfield Cup win to claim his biggest career triumph;

• Via Sistina’s eight-length romp in the Cox Plate – just four days after dumping James McDonald at Breakfast With The Best – helped her become the highest-rated mare in the world in 2024;

• McDonald broke his own Melbourne Cup Carnival record riding 11 winners across the four days at Flemington, including a four-timer on Champions Day;

• The rivalry between superstar milers Mr Brightside and Pride of Jenni saw them meet on five occasions in Victoria throughout spring with the former first home on all bar one occasion;

• Trainers Enver Jusufovic (Pinstriped – Stow Storage Memsie Stakes) and Gavin Bedggood (Mornington Glory – Moir Stakes) celebrated their first Group 1 victories;

• International horses were again prominent with English pair Onesmoothoperator and Sea King victorious in the Ladbrokes Geelong Cup (2400m) and Apiam Bendigo Cup (2400m) respectively, whilst Japanese raider Warp Speed was second in the Melbourne Cup; and

• Macedon trainer Liam Howley took top honours in country Victoria with success in the Murtoa (Station One), Tatura (Steal The Sun) and Kyneton Cups (New York Hurricane).

---

Horse racing news

---

View the full article