We are spoilt for choice here in Australia, we really are.
Elite level sprints, middle-distance & staying races, and now innovative pop-up races, Australian thoroughbred horse racing has it all.
But occasionally, we feel some of our great races fly under the radar and don’t get the attention they deserve.
So, let’s take a look at some of the more under-appreciated races on the Australian calendar.
- Hotham Stakes
Historically the Hotham is the traditional lead-up for the Melbourne Cup, with the winner gaining exemption from any ballot for entry to the Cup.
The thing about the Hotham is that it is run on Derby Day, just three days before our greatest race.
And gee whiz, isn’t Derby Day already chocka-block!
So, this race doesn’t really get the attention it deserves.
Quite often the winner of the Hotham is absolutely rock-hard fit and runs a good race in the Cup.
The last horse to win the double was Shocking back in 2009.
- Empire Rose Stakes
Also run on Derby Day, this mile race for the fillies and mares is always an absolute belter, often with a blanket finish.
The 2021 edition saw Colette get home by about a third of a length and Shout The Bar the year prior just got home by a bee’s you know what.
We love this race though because the three-year-old fillies get in with only 50 kegs on their back!
The superstar, Freedman-trained filly Shoals took out the race in 2017 in another close finish.
Wasn’t she gorgeous!
- JJ Atkins
As the last Group 1, two-year-old race in the racing season, the JJ gives the late developing juveniles the chance to pick up a big win.
Of course, this race doesn’t get the attention the two-year-old features get in NSW and Victoria because of the smaller market, but some absolute rippers have come out of this race.
In recent years think The Autumn Sun, Rothfire and Converge.
Perhaps the best runner to come out of the JJ was Mahogany, who won Derby distance races as a three-year-old and then as an older horse would win the 1000m Lighting Stakes twice!
- Stradbroke Handicap
Queensland’s best race is criminally underrated! So are handicap races for that matter!
There’s always great value if you can manage to find the winner and we love the 1400m as it suits both the sprinter and miler types.
The Stradbroke often unearths horses on the up or horses looking to get back to their best form, just look at Alligator Blood and Tofane in the last few years.
Aside from those two, recent winners include Santa Ana Lane, Impending and Trekking.
- Caulfield Cup
It might surprise a lot of readers that this one is on the list, especially with the Caulfield Cup being one of our majors.
Hear us out.
Now that we have the Everest on the same day as the Caulfield Cup, there’s no doubting it’s diminished the amount of attention it gets somewhat.
We also feel like the Melbourne Cup, being our greatest race, and the Cox Plate, our greatest weight-for-age race being in the following weeks draws some attention away.
But gee whiz the Caulfield Cup is a belter.
18 runners for a packed contest.
There’s often international form-lines meeting our own.
The 2021 victory of Incentivise announced the arrival of a superstar.
Verry Ellegant announced herself as our best staying mare since Makybe.
Jameka, Dunaden, Viewed, Northerly, Might And Power. All stars of the turf.
What a race.