Thoroughbred colts Mr Brightside and Emperature are expected to make a splash during the much-anticipated Victoria Racing Festival.
On February 10, Herald Sun Caulfield Family Day will kick off eight weekends of on-track events featuring 47 team and grandstand races and 17 Country Cups across the state.
Over $53 million in prizes and rewards are up for grabs.
Racing Victoria executive general manager Matt Welsh said this would ensure a “frenetic” show on the track as Australian racing stars “fight for the riches on offer”, but he expected a more relaxed atmosphere off the track.
“The big attraction of the Racing Festival is that fans enjoy elite racing in a relaxed atmosphere, ideal for socializing and enjoying the outdoors,” he said.
Mr Brightside is favorite to win this year's Group 1: CF Orr Stakes at Caulfield Family Day.
The Hayes family-trained gelding will then return to Caulfield – where he has a record 75 per cent winning run – to compete in the Futurity Stakes on Blue Diamond Stakes Day on February 24 and the $4 million All-Star Mile on March 16.
Mr Brightside won the 2023 All-Star Mile – and the unique racing day has since been revamped so that 16 competition winners become “owner ambassadors” for competing horses and win a cash prize determined by that horse’s placing, up to $100,000 for first place.
All Australians over the age of 18 can enter the competition for free at allstarmile.com.au until 25 February.
Star sprinter Imperatriz will be one of the headline stars at the Black Caviar Lightning Race Day on February 17 – one of four bumper racing days from February to March at Flemington along with Australia Cup Day, which will be a fitting climax to the racing festival on March 30.
racingvictoria.com.au
Racing Festival 2024
Special racing days
10 February: Herald Sun Caulfield Family Day, shared by Sportsbet CF Orr Stakes (Caulfield)
February 17: Black Caviar Lightning Race Day (Flemington)
24 February: Sportsbet Blue Diamond Stakes Day (Caulfield)
2 March: Howden Day Australian Guineas (Flemington)
March 9: Super Saturday, Newmarket Handicap (Flemington)
16 March: All Star Race Day (Caulfield)
March 23: Day 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes (Moonee Valley)
30 March: TAB Australia Cup Day (Flemington)
Country cups
February 29: Sportsbet Future Stars final (Pakenham)
2 March: Wangaratta Savings and Loans Winsec Cup Day (Wangaratta)
9 March: Bet365 Edenhope Cup Day (Edenhope)
March 9: Tong Cup Day (Tawang)
March 10: Moama Bowling Club Echuca Cup Day (Echuca)
10 March: Ladbrokes Stoney Creek Cup Day (Stony Creek)
15 March: Sportsbet Pakenham Cup Night (Pakenham)
16 March: Bet365 Cup Day Geelong St Pat's (Geelong)
17 March: Yarra Valley Cup Day (Yarra Valley)
March 24: Patty Foods Bairnsdale Cup Day (Bairnsdale)
29 March: Bet365 Country Discovery Race Day (Yarra Valley)
March 29: Good Friday Night Race (Cranbourne)
March 30: Emmets/John Deere Warracknapel (Warracknabel) Cup Day
30 March: Clubberham Kerrang (Mussels) Cup Day
31 March: Stuart McGregor Stawell Cup Day (Stawell)
Originally published as Mr Brightside, Imperatrix has been selected as one of the frontrunners for the Victoria Racing Festival
