There were 47 race meetings held across Australia last week with 3,198 horses competing in 340 races for a total prize money purse of $19,011,500.

Insights into national thoroughbred racing for Monday 11 November 2024 to Sunday 17 November 2024. 

THE MEETINGS

Metropolitan – 12 meetings (average in season 2023-24 was 9).

Provincial – 10 meetings (average in season 2023-24 was 11).

Country – 25 meetings (average in season 2023-24 was 25).

 

THE RACES

Metropolitan – 95 races (average in season 2023-24 was 76).

Provincial – 70 races (average in season 2023-24 was 82).

Country – 175 races (average in season 2023-24 was 177).

Maidens – 94 races (average in season 2023-24 was 99).

 

THE STARTERS

Metropolitan – 951 starters (average in season 2023-24 was 754).

Provincial – 694 starters (average in season 2023-24 was 765).

Country – 1,553 starters (average in season 2023-24 was 1,638).

Scratched – 744 (average in season 2023-24 was 852).

 

THE TRACK CONDITIONS

Wet – 61 races (average in season 2023-24 was 110).

Dry – 279 races (average in season 2023-24 was 211)

 

THE PRIZE MONEY

Metropolitan – $12,128,000 (average in season 2023-24 was $10,025,122).

Provincial – $2,158,500 (average in season 2023-24 was $2,838,521).

Country – $4,725,000 (average in season 2023-24 was $4,672,404).

 

PRIZE MONEY: BIG BICKIES

Metropolitan – $1,500,000 for race 7, Schweppes Thousand Guineas at Caulfield VIC on Saturday. Won by Another Prophet.

Provincial – $125,000 for race 7, Geraldton Toyota Batavia Sprint (Bm72+) at Geraldton WA on Sunday. Won by Bayezid.

Country – $100,000 for race 7, XXXX Gold Big Dance Eligibility Snake Gully Cup at Gundagai NSW on Friday. Won by Clever Art.

 

THE HORSES

First starters – 162 (average in season 2023-24 was 154).

Maidens – 908 runners in 94 races (average number of maiden runners each week in season 2023-24 was 949 and the average number of races was 99).

Two-year olds – 26 runners (average in season 2023-24 was 100).

Imported and international runners  – 7 runners had their first start in Australia.

Country of origin – AUS 2,881 NZ 250 IRE 36 GB 16 JPN 4 GER 4 FR 4 USA 3.

 

THE BREEDING

The number of individual stallions which sired all 3,198 runners – 487.

The number of winners sired by Australian-bred stallions – 231 in all 340 races.

The number of individual stallions which sired the winners – 173.

 

THE JOCKEYS

A total of 442 individual jockeys rode the 3,198 runners which started in the 340 races.

Jockeys averaged 3.2 rides per meeting.

The number of apprentice jockeys – 123.

The number of individual jockeys who rode a winner – 210.

The number of winners ridden by apprentices – 78.

The number of individual jockeys who recorded a top 3 finish – 347.

 

THE TRAINERS

The number of trainers (partnership entities and individuals) who had runners – 1,060.

The number of trainer partnerships vs. individual trainers – 68 partnerships and 992 individuals.

The number of trainers who had winners 233.

The number of trainers who had a runner finish in the top three – 532.

 

THE MARKETS

The average starting price of winners was $7.12 (average in season 2023-24 was $7.09).

The number of favourites which won – 128 or 36.16% (average in season 2023-24 was 119 or 33.73%).

The number of favourites which placed 2nd – 76 or 21.47% (average in season 2023-24 was 71 or 20.07%).

The number of favourites which placed 3rd – 50 or 14.12% (average in season 2023-24 was 47 or 13.42%).

The number of unplaced favourites – 100 or 28.25% (average in season 2023-24 was 115 or 32.77%).

The number of odds-on favourites which won – 25 or 52.08% (average in season 2023-24 was 76 or 49.78%).

The number of favourites which won on a dry track – 106 (average in season 2023-24 was 75).

The number of favourites which won on a wet track – 22 (average in season 2023-24 was 38).

 

AND, OTHER INTERESTING BITS

The most winning TAB saddle cloth – number 1 with 51 winners.

The longest priced winner – Playful Star at $61 in race 2 at Belmont Park WA on Wednesday.

Biggest winning margin – 8.78 lengths by Metal Bar in race 4 at Mt Isa QLD on Monday.

Horses which broke maiden status after more than 25 starts: Consensio (Yea VIC), Light Up The Dawn (Roma QLD).

Most winning barrier – 5. In the 340 races, 48 winners jumped from barrier 5.

The number of greys which won on a wet track – 1 of a total of 21 greys which competed on wet tracks.

The number of internationals having first start in Australia who won – 1. 

The number of 12-year-old starters – 2.

The average age of a starter – 4.8 years.

The number of favourites which finished last – 6 (average in season 2023-24 was 10).

* A couple of things about our stats: wet track definition is Soft 5 to Heavy 10; synthetic tracks excluded from dry tracks; averages rounded; equal favourites included.