Australia’s Richest Horse Races

<p>Spring Carnival is just around the corner, which means some of the biggest races of the year are on the horizon.</p> <p>After counting down the best of the best in terms of <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/horse-racing/news/famous-australian-racehorses">racehorses</a>, <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/horse-racing/news/most-successful-horse-racing-trainers">trainers</a>, and <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/horse-racing/news/best-australian-jockeys">jockeys</a> we’re turning our attention to the races themselves.</p> <p>Every race is worth winning, but there are some races that are more lucrative than others.</p> <p>There are a few select races Down Under that have a simply eye watering prize pool. These are of course the Richest Races in Australia.</p> <p>This list may surprise you; the most famous races aren’t necessarily the most lucrative. Which Australian race packs the biggest prize? Saddle up and find out, as we count down Australia’s Richest Horse Races.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>5. Caulfield Cup - $5,000,000</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Kicking off our countdown is the Caulfield Cup. Established in 1879, inflation has seen this race’s purse balloon to $5,000,000 as of 2023.</p> <p>Hosted at Caulfield Racecourse at the end of October each year, the Caulfield Cup is seen as the ultimate lead up race for the big one – the Melbourne Cup.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>4. Queen Elizabeth Stakes - $5,000,000</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Up next, we have the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Lizzy may be gone, but this race is still going strong. One of the biggest races on the Australian autumn racing calendar, the prize money for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes totals $5,000,000.</p> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>3. Melbourne Cup - $7,750,000</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The biggest race in all the land, but not the richest as it turns out, coming in at number three is “the race that stops a nation” – The Melbourne Cup.</p> <p>Held on the first Tuesday of November every year, the Melbourne Cup is widely considered to be the most prestigious race in Australia and one of the most famous in the world.</p> <p>First run in 1861, it also comes with an impressive prize pool of nearly $8 million as of 2023. Not too shabby at all.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>2. Golden Eagle - $10,000,000</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The eagle has landed at number two on this list, the Golden Eagle that is. Only founded in 2019, the Golden Eagle is new on the Australian racing scene and boy did it know how to make an entrance.</p> <p>It started its inaugural year with a purse of $8,000,000, which in just four years’ time has increased to a whopping $10,000,000.</p> <p>Held just prior to the Melbourne Cup at the Rosehill Racecourse, the Golden Eagle has quickly become a highlight of Spring Carnival and is unique in the fact that it has very specific requirements of entry.</p> <p>The Golden Eagle is held under set weight conditions for four-year-old horses only. This is a race and a prize pool that will just keep getting bigger and bigger as the years ride on by.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>1. The Everest - $20,000,000</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Taking out top spot on the Australian racing rich list is the aptly named “The Everest”. Not just the richest race in Australia, The Everest is currently the world’s richest horse race on turf.</p> <p>It’s only been running since 2017 but since then, due to its mind blowing $20,000,000 prize pool has risen so much that it is probably only eclipsed by the Melbourne Cup in terms of profile.</p> <p>A 1200m dash at Randwick, The Everest is undoubtedly the showcase event of the Sydney Spring Race Carnival series and is far and away the richest race in Australian history.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Need more of a horse racing fix heading into Spring Carnival? Why not check out our <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/horse-racing/tips/saturday-racing-tips">weekly racing tips</a> from the team at Get On.</p>