$5m King Charles III Stakes to be run on Everest day

The inaugural King Charles III Stakes carrying prizemoney of $5million will be run on Saturday 14 October 2023 at Royal Randwick alongside The TAB Everest. The King Charles III Stakes named in honour of His Majesty the King, is a Group 1 race to be run over 1600m at weight-for-age conditions.

A member of the Royal Procession on Day 2 of the 2022 Royal Ascot Carnival, Peter V’Landys is again in the UK for the Royal Ascot carnival and spoke with King Charles about the new namesake event to be first held later this year.

In addition, The TAB Everest prizemoney will increase to $20million, recognising the continued success of this event and the incredible halo effect that it has created benefiting the entire NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry, for the entire year.

Additional prizemoney increases and new races as set out below will see a further $12 million of prizemoney available throughout the Sydney Everest Carnival following these announcements.

The revised Sydney Everest Carnival feature meetings are summarised below:

The TAB Everest and King Charles III race meeting will be run at Royal Randwick on Saturday 14 October 2023 and will include the following feature races

14 October 2023: Royal Randwick

The Golden Eagle race meeting will be run at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday 4 November 2023 and will feature the following races

4 November 2023: Rosehill

Former Sydney Turf Club and Racing NSW Chairman the Late Alan Brown AM to be honoured

The race meeting on Saturday 7 October 2023 will be run at Rosehill Gardens racecourse and headlined by the Alan Brown Stakes with prizemoney of $1.5 million to be run over 1400m named after former STC and Racing NSW Chairman Alan Brown and by the Group 2 Hill Stakes with prizemoney of $2 million.

7 October 2023: Rosehill

The Spring Champion Stakes and The Invitation will be run at Royal Randwick on Saturday 28 October 2023.

28 October 2023: Royal Randwick

The Big Dance will be run for the second time on Tuesday 7 November 2023.

7 November 2023: Royal Randwick

Racing NSW Chairman Russell Balding said “The King Charles III Stakes creates a new level of excitement for the Sydney Everest Carnival, with a feature open age mile race boosting an already mouth-watering Everest Day meeting.”

“It is also befitting for Royal Randwick to have a feature race in Spring named in honour of His Majesty, to compliment the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in Autumn, with Royal Randwick being Australia’s only Royal Racecourse.”

The $12million boost to prizemoney during the Everest Carnival is one of a series of prizemoney increases Racing NSW have announced in recent years since the first running of the Everest in 2017 which in turn have in particular transformed the Sydney Spring Carnival.

“Racing makes a significant contribution to the NSW economy. Last year, more than 46,000 people attended The Everest at Royal Randwick and spent money at restaurants, pubs and hotels across the city,” Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said.

“The increased prizemoney for The Everest and the addition of the King Charles III race will create an even bigger and better event this year, with positive flow on effects for the 50,000 people directly and indirectly employed in the NSW racing industry.”

“At $20 million of prizemoney, The TAB Everest is now the second richest race in the world and the richest race on Turf. This further increase in prizemoney is not only recognition of The TAB Everest as being the highest rated race in Australia, but also of the success this event has created in flow on benefits throughout the entire NSW Thoroughbred Industry for the whole of the year.

“Since its inaugural running in 2017, The TAB Everest has consistently rated as the highest or equal highest sprint race in the world.” Mr Balding concluded.

Summary of Changes to the Spring Carnival Program

Saturday 7 October 2023 will be scheduled at Rosehill Gardens racecourse, with the meeting headed by the Hill Stakes, Group 2 1900m of $2 million and a new race the Alan Brown Stakes, 1400m Hcp of $1.5 million.

The change of venue for the Australian Turf Club meeting on this day provides for a two week break between the Epsom Hcp, Group 1 and The Everest/King Charles III Stakes race meetings at Royal Randwick on 14 October 2023.

Following the recent announcement that the Big Dance will be run for prizemoney of $3 million, a further $500,000 will be added to support races on Big Dance race program on 7 November 2023 at Royal Randwick.

The Hunter race meeting will be held on Saturday 18 November 2023 at Newcastle racecourse and The Gong will be held at Kembla Grange racecourse on Saturday 25 November 2023.