The 2024 Adelaide Racing Carnival has been revamped with three consecutive Group One Saturdays of racing starting at Morphettville on Saturday April 27, and going through until Saturday, May 11.
A South Australian Group One double featuring the $500,000 Australasian Oaks over 2000m, and the $600,000 Robert Sangster Stakes for Fillies and Mares over 1200m kicks things off on April 27.
The $500,000 Group One SA Derby features on the middle Saturday on May 4.
South Australia’s flagship Group One sprint The Goodwood worth $600,000 and run over 1200m concludes the carnival on Saturday, May 11.
“The three-week format gives racing in South Australia Group One exclusivity during the Adelaide Racing Carnival and is designed to ensure that our State is the epicentre of racing in Australia for those three weeks,” said Racing SA’s Chief Executive Officer Vaughn Lynch.
“The change is designed to give us clear air between the end of the Sydney Autumn Carnival and the start of Brisbane’s Group One Winter carnival. Ultimately this gives us the best chance of attracting the best quality field, and in turn to boost turnover.
“We are well aware that the first day of the Adelaide Racing Carnival falls on the same weekend as LIV Golf Adelaide, but after deep consideration getting the racing schedule right was our priority.
“Anzac Day falls on the Thursday before our Carnival which has the potential to make the last weekend of April a super long weekend.
“Adelaide will be buzzing, and the chance to come along and enjoy two Group One’s at Morphettville on the Saturday gives everyone another reason to visit South Australia that weekend,” said Lynch.
Greats of SA racing will also be honoured in the new look Adelaide Racing Carnival.
The Group Three DC McKay Stakes over 1100m will now be known as the John Hawkes Stakes and take place on April 27.
The RA Lee Stakes on the final day of the Carnival has been renamed The Cummings with prizemoney boosted to $220,000.
“There is over $4 million in prize money up for grabs in the Listed and Group races across the three days of the Adelaide Racing Carnival, not to mention that each support race is now worth $75,000,” said Lynch.
“Racing SA will work closely with the SAJC to showcase world class racing at Morphettville.
“We have a number of exciting announcements to come which will help to improve racing in SA,” he said.
