Mr Brightside, Imperatriz named as frontrunners for Victoria’s Festival of Racing

Racehorses swapped the track for a Melbourne beach in an epic photo shoot to launch the summer-autumn racing season. WATCH THE VIDEO

In-form thoroughbreds Mr Brightside and Imperatriz are tipped to make a splash during Victoria’s hotly anticipated Festival of Racing.

On February 10, Herald Sun Caulfield Family Day will kickstart eight weekends of on-track action comprising 47 Group and Listed races and 17 country cups in all corners of the state.

More than $53m in prizemoney and bonuses are up for grabs.

Racing Victoria executive general manager Matt Welsh said this would ensure a “frenetic” showing on the track as “the stars of Australian racing battling for the riches on offer”, but he expected a more laid-back ambience off the track.

Thoroughbreds from the Price Kent stable – run by trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr – take a dip at Seaford to help launch the 2024 Festival of Racing. Picture: Jason Edwards

Making a splash. Picture: Jason Edwards

Kent Price horses training at Keast Park beach. Picture: Jason Edwards

“The great attraction of the Festival of Racing is that fans get to enjoy elite racing in a relaxed atmosphere, which is perfect for socialising and having fun outdoors,” he said.

Mr Brightside is the hot favourite to win the year’s first Group 1: the C.F. Orr Stakes on Caulfield Family Day.

The Hayes family-trained gelding will then return to Caulfield – where he boasts a 75 per cent win record – to contest the Futurity Stakes on Blue Diamond Stakes Day on February 24 and the $4m All-Star Mile on March 16.

Mr Brightside won the 2023 All-Star Mile – and the unique race day has since been revamped so that 16 competition winners will become “owner ambassadors” of the competing horses and win a cash prize dictated by what place that horse achieves, of up to $100,000 for first place.

All Australians aged 18-plus can enter the competition for free at allstarmile.com.au until February 25.

Star sprinter Imperatriz will be one to watch on Black Caviar Lightning Race Day on February 17 – one of four bumper February-March race days at Flemington alongside Australian Cup Day, which will be a fitting climax to the Festival of Racing on March 30.

racingvictoria.com.au

Festival of Racing 2024

Feature race days

Feb 10: Herald Sun Caulfield Family Day, featuring Sportsbet C.F. Orr Stakes (Caulfield)

Feb 17: Black Caviar Lightning Race Day (Flemington)

Feb 24: Sportsbet Blue Diamond Stakes Day (Caulfield)

Mar 2: Howden Australian Guineas Day (Flemington)

Mar 9: Super Saturday, featuring Newmarket Handicap (Flemington)

Mar 16: All-Star Mile Race Day (Caulfield)

Mar 23: 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes Day (Moonee Valley)

Mar 30: TAB Australian Cup Day (Flemington)

Country Cups

Feb 29: Sportsbet Future Stars Final (Pakenham)

Mar 2: Winsec Savings & Loans Wangaratta Cup Day (Wangaratta)

Mar 9: Bet365 Edenhope Cup Day (Edenhope)

Mar 9: Towong Cup Day (Towong)

Mar 10: Moama Bowling Club Echuca Cup Day (Echuca)

Mar 10: Ladbrokes Stony Creek Cup Day (Stony Creek)

Mar 15: Sportsbet Pakenham Cup Night (Pakenham)

Mar 16: Bet365 Geelong St Pat’s Cup Day (Geelong)

Mar 17: Yarra Valley Cup Day (Yarra Valley)

Mar 24: Patties Foods Bairnsdale Cup Day (Bairnsdale)

Mar 29: Bet365 Country Discovery Race Day (Yarra Valley)

Mar 29: Good Friday Night Racing (Cranbourne)

Mar 30: Emmetts/John Deere Warracknabeal Cup Day (Warracknabeal)

Mar 30: CluBarham Kerang Cup Day (Kerang)

Mar 31: Stuart McGregor Stawell Cup Day (Stawell)

Originally published as Mr Brightside, Imperatriz named as frontrunners for Victoria’s Festival of Racing