Winter at Flemington: A season of opportunity

While the racing calendar quietens in some areas during the colder months, winter at Flemington is far from dormant. The Flemington Winter Racing Series brings the track to life through May and June, culminating in Flemington Finals Race Day, 5 July, 2025. 

Finals Day marks the culmination of several key winter series, each offering competitive heats across Victoria before the grand finals at Flemington.

Established by the Victoria Racing Club in 2009, the Winter Race Series brings together horses young and established, sprinters and stayers. All across Victoria in May and June, horses compete in heats to help horses gain entry into Flemington Finals Race Day. 

The first and second placegetters in those heats automatically qualify for the respective series final on Flemington Finals Race Day, with over $1.5 million in prizemoney on offer across nine finals. 

• VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final (1600m): Open to progressive milers, this series gives rising stars and established campaigners the chance to capture valuable black type.

• Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final (1200m): The Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final, named in honour of the multiple Group 1-winning sprinter Santa Ana Lane, brings together seasoned short-course specialists. It is a fiercely competitive contest, often featuring horses who will continue to thrive over the coming months on the metropolitan sprinting circuit. 

• Creswick Sprint Series (1200m): The A.R. Creswick Series is designed for three-year-old sprinters, with heats held at Flemington and Caulfield over distances of 1000m to 1200m. Named after Sir Alec Creswick, a former VRC Chairman and passionate horseman, the series culminates in the Listed A.R. Creswick Stakes (1200m) on Flemington Finals Race Day. 

• Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m): Named after the great Taj Rossi, the 1973 Cox Plate winner, this series focuses on two-year-olds stepping beyond the sharp sprint trips typical of juvenile racing. The Taj Rossi Final provides a vital first test over 1600 metres, shaping early hopes for the coming spring classics. 

• Mahogany Challenge Final (2500m): Open exclusively to three-year-olds, the Mahogany Challenge Final tests emerging stayers over 2500 metres. It is named after the celebrated galloper Mahogany, whose versatility saw him excel from sprint distances to the staying trip of the Victoria Derby. The series encourages the development of Australia’s next generation of middle-distance and staying talent. 

• Banjo Paterson Series Final (2600m): A series tailored for tough stayers, giving future spring cups hopefuls a platform to build fitness and experience over longer distances. The series is a traditional stepping stone for later ambitions over longer trips. It is named in honour of author and poet Andrew Barton ‘Banjo’ Paterson, who loved horses. Polo matches, picnic races and riding his own pony were all part of his early life in country NSW. 

• Next Generation Sprinters Series Final (1200m): As its name suggests, this series is designed for promising two-year-old sprinters. The Final gives young horses an early chance to display their speed and professionalism, setting up campaigns aimed at spring’s prestigious sprint races. 

• Leilani Series Final (1400m): Restricted to mares, the Leilani Series Final honours the champion mare Leilani, trained by Bart Cummings. This series provides an important winter opportunity for talented mares to gain valuable black type and build a foundation for spring success. 

• Silver Bowl Series Final (1600m): For three-year-old colts and geldings, the Silver Bowl showcases future middle-distance and staying prospects, often providing a springboard into the early four-year-old features.  

For race history, series results and conditions, click here.

Each series plays a critical role in winter programming, providing structured pathways for horses at different stages of their careers.  

Off the track, Flemington in winter remains a hive of activity. Vibrant race days offer a chance for racegoers to connect with friends over a meal, watch quality racing and bring the kids along for indoor activities. 

Winter also offers a golden window for apprentice jockeys to make their mark as they look ahead to the increased metropolitan opportunities the season brings. With many senior riders heading interstate or abroad during these months, opportunities arise for the next generation to step into the spotlight.

New Zealand-born apprentice, Jaylah Kennedy, plans to take full advantage of this. “I’ve got about 38 winners left on my metropolitan claim, so I’m really hoping to knock that down over winter,” she told Racing.com in April 

“Outriding that metropolitan claim is a big goal for me. It’s not an easy task, but with just under two years left in my apprenticeship, I’m feeling positive. I’m determined to keep up the momentum I’ve built so far.”

For more information about the Winter Race Series, click here.