Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival 2022: The Definitive Guide
Brisbane Winter Carnival 2022: The Definitive Guide
Many of the country’s most talented trainers, jockeys, sprinters and stayers head to Brisbane during the winter months to contest a series of prestigious races. They include the Stradbroke Handicap, the Doomben 10,000, the Kingsford-Smith Cup and newer events such as the $1.2 million Q22.
The Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival can trace its roots back to 1860, when the Brisbane Cup was inaugurated. The Stradbroke Handicap, the jewel in the carnival’s crown, has been held on an annual basis since 1890, so this event is steeped in history and prestige. The total prize money has also smashed through the $25 million barrier, which attracts elite runners from across Australia and further afield.
Our in-depth Brisbane Winter Carnival guide will provide an overview of the main races, venues and dates for this year’s event. Read on to learn more about betting on the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival 2022
Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival 2022 Racecourses
The Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival is the main event within the broader Queensland Winter Racing Carnival, which runs for 10 weeks. Meetings are held at Ipswich, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Tattersalls, but the important races take place at two prominent venues in Brisbane – Doomben Racecourse and Eagle Farm Racecourse – during May and June.
Doomben Racecourse
This famous racecourse was built on a patch of land adjacent to Eagle Farm in 1933. Both racecourses are owned and operated by the Brisbane Racing Club (BRC). They are located in the heart of Brisbane’s Ascot suburb, 7 kilometres north of the city centre.
Doomben Racecourse hosted racing on an annual basis until 1941, when it paused during the Second World War. The action resumed in 1945, and the racecourse enjoyed a strong rise to prominence during the ensuing decades. It benefited from a $3.3 million upgrade in 1996.
The racecourse now has a 27 metre wide track, with a circumference of 1,715 metres, making it a lot smaller than Eagle Farm. The BRC has invested in improving the grandstand and facilities in recent years. It now hosts three Group 1 races each year – the Doomben 10,000, the BTC Cup and the Doomben Cup.
Eagle Farm Racecourse
This heritage-listed horse racing venue was established in 1863. It is now regarded as the premier racecourse in Brisbane and one of Australia’s leading lights. Eagle Farm was taken over by the military to house thousands of American troops during the Pacific War in 1941, and it was named US Camp Ascot at the time.
Racing resumed in 1946, and 45,000 racegoers packed into the grandstand to watch the action unfold. It now forms a racing hub with the adjacent Doomben Racecourse in Ascot, but most of the big races take place at Eagle Farm. There are five Group 1 races: the Queensland Derby, Queensland Oaks, Stradbroke Handicap, The JJ Atkins Stakes and the Tattersall’s Tiara. The historic Brisbane Cup is a Group 2 race.
The track at Eagle Farm has a circumference of 2,027 metres. It is 28 metres wide, and the home straight is 434 metres. There are 40 race meetings each season, but the Brisbane Winter Carnival is the highlight.
Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival Meetings
Victory Stakes Day
This is the first major event of the Brisbane Winter Carnival. It takes place at Eagle Farm on 30th April, featuring the Group 2 Victory Stakes and the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic.
Doomben 10,000 Day
Racing fans must wait two weeks for the next important meeting. The Doomben 10,000 is the first Group 1 race of the carnival, while you can also look forward to the Group 2 Champagne Classic and three Group 3 races: the Chairman’s Handicap, the Lord Mayor’s Cup and the Rough Habit Plate. It all unfolds at Doomben on 14th May.
Doomben Cup Day
The Group 1 Doomben Cup, The Roses and the BRC Sprint will all be held at Doomben on 21st May. The Doomben Cup is a weight-for-age race that takes place over 2000m.
Kingsford-Smith Cup Day
A week later, the action returns to Eagle Farm for the Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup, which is also known as the BTC Cup. It was renamed in honour of aviator Charles Kingsford-Smith five years ago. This is a key lead-up race to the Stradbroke Handicap. You can also enjoy the $1 million Queensland Derby, a Group 1 race, plus the $1 million BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes, along with several other prestigious races.
Ladies’ Oaks Day
Eagle Farm hosts the Group 1 Queensland Oaks on 4th June. You can also take in the Moreton Cup, which earns the winner a ballot exemption for the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara.
Stradbroke Day
The main event of the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival takes place at Eagle Farm on 11th June. The $1.5 million Stradbroke Handicap will be watched by punters around the world, while The Q22, the Group 1 JJ Atkins Stakes and the Group 2 Brisbane Cup are all eagerly anticipated too.
Tatt’s Tiara Day
The Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara is the final big race of the Brisbane Winter Carnival. It is also the final Group 1 race of the entire season in Australia, so it attracts a large TV audience. The race is held on 25th June at Eagle Farm. The Tattersall’s Cup and the WJ Healy Stakes will also unfold on this day.
Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival Biggest Races
We have listed the top 10 races to look out for during the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival, along with the prize money available. They are all Group 1 races, apart from The Q22 and the BRC Sires Produce Stakes.
- Stradbroke Handicap ($1.5 million)
- The Q22 ($1.2 million)
- Doomben 10,000 ($1 million)
- JJ Atkins Stakes ($1 million)
- BRC Sires Produce Stakes ($1 million)
- Kingsford-Smith Cup ($700,000)
- Doomben Cup ($700,000)
- Queensland Derby ($600,000)
- Queensland Oaks ($600,000)
- Tattersall’s Tiara ($600,000)
Brisbane Winter Carnival Notable Winners
The Stradbroke Handicap is the most prestigious race at the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival. It was first won by Pyrrhus back in 1890. Multiple winners include Babel, Gold Tie, Highland, Petrol Lager, Lucky Ring, Rough Habit and Black Piranha.
Rough Habit won 11 Group 1 races and was named New Zealand’s Horse of the Year in 1992 and 1995. He also secured a record three wins in the Doomben Cup. Dane Ripper, a former Cox Plate winner, also won the Stradbroke.
The Doomben 10,000 is another important race within the Brisbane Winter Carnival. Notable former winners include Black Onyx, Prince Trialia, Chief De Beers, Falvelon and Apache Cat. They were all multiple winners, and they won several additional Group 1 sprints, while Falvelon holds the record for the fastest finishing time. Champion sprinter Takeover Target also won the race in 2007, as did back-to-back The Everest winner Redzel in 2017.
Perhaps the most famous former winner at the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival is Black Caviar. She was undefeated in 25 races throughout her career, including 15 Group 1 races. Black Caviar saluted in the Kingsford-Smith Cup in 2011, while she also won the Australia Stakes, the Newmarket Handicap, the Lightning Stakes, the Australia Stakes and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Ascot in the UK en route to winning five world champion sprinter titles and three Australian Racehorse of the Year awards.
Who Won the Feature Races of Brisbane Winter Carnival 2021?
Mike Moroney-trained mare Tofane chased down Kingsford-Smith Cup winner Vega One to secure a thrilling half-length victory in the 2021 Stradbroke Handicap. Connections almost sold her at the Magic Millions National Broodmare auction, but they ultimately decided against it, and they were rewarded with a $1 million dividend.
Eduardo went into the Doomben 10,000 as the red-hot favourite. He lived up to that billing by clinching a narrow win ahead of surging roughie Wild Planet. Last year also marked the inaugural running of The Q22, a race with a $1.2 million prize fund. Zaaki reinforced his status as the star of the Queensland Winter Carnival by saluting. He also won the Doomben Cup by seven lengths. Zaaki was the favourite for last year’s Cox Plate before he was scratched, but he returned by triumphing in the Mackinnon Stakes.
Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival 2022 Dates
These are the key dates to mark in your diary this year if you are interested in betting on the Brisbane Winter Carnival:
| Meeting | Racecourse | Date |
| Victory Stakes Day | Eagle Farm | 30th April |
| Doomben 10,000 Day | Doomben | 14th May |
| Doomben Cup Day | Doomben | 21st May |
| Kingsford-Smith Cup | Eagle Farm | 28th May |
| Ladies’ Oaks Day | Eagle Farm | 4th June |
| Stradbroke Day | Eagle Farm | 11th June |
| Tatt’s Tiara Day | Eagle Farm | 25th June |
Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival Betting
You can bet on all the action at the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival by visiting Topsport. We make it easy for you to bet on the Stradbroke Handicap, the Doomben 10,000, the Kingsford-Smith Cup, The Q22 and all other big races at the carnival.
You will find detailed racecards, and the betslip makes it simple for you to bet on any of the races.
