With most sport and racing worldwide currently in hiatus due to Coronavirus, the Australian horse racing industry has managed to maintain races going ahead relatively unscathed.
Throughout the pandemic, Australian racing has maintained strict control measures to ensure the virus does not affect the health and safety of participants or the wider public. They have done this by restricting entry to only the essential staff, jockeys and trainers (no fans allowed to attend), regularly testing and monitoring participants.
They have also restricted travel and isolating race tracks from each other so that in the event of 1 track having an outbreak it will not affect other race tracks from forging ahead.
Given that the global population is being quarantined at home right now, it means that punters still have something interesting to bet on. So looking at this, we ask the question, which Australian bookmaker is the best to bet on the racing? Furthermore, what are some of the upcoming top tier Australian races that people can bet on?
As for the first question, our suggestion for Australian and New Zealand punters is to get on and have a bet with Playup. They offer competitive odds with a wide range of markets and racing products to bump up your winnings.
Now onto which are the top Group 1 races in Australia over the next few months?
April 18 2020 (Randwick, NSW)
- The Champagne Stakes
- All Aged Stakes
May 2 2020 (Morphettville, S.A.)
- Robert Sangster Stakes
- Australasian Oaks
May 9 2020 (Doomben, QLD)
- Doomben 10,000
May 9 2020 (Morphettville, S.A.)
- SA Derby
May 16 2020 (Morphettville, S.A.)
- The Goodwood Handicap
May 23 2020 (Eagle Farm, QLD)
- Queensland Derby
- Kingsford Smith Cup
May 30 2020 (Doomben, QLD)
- Queensland Oaks
June 6 2020 (Doomben, QLD)
- Stradbroke Handicap
- JJ Atkins Stakes
June 20 2020 (Doomben, QLD)
- Tattersalls Tiara
It is in the Spring that things start to heat up in Australia, both with the temperature as well as the racing, with races such as the Caulfield Cup (October 17 2020), the Cox Plate (October 24 2020) each with $5 million in prize money, culminating in the race that stops a nation, the Melbourne Cup!
The Melbourne Cup always falls on the first Tuesday of November, this year it will be held on November 3 at Flemington, with $8 million in prizemoney.
These are some of the top tier races; however, there are lots of races to bet on each day. We counted a total of 246 horse and greyhound races on offer at Playup today, and there are significantly more races on Saturdays too, so there will be plenty of racing action each day to keep you entertained!
Hopefully, the current situation with COVID 19 doesn’t extend well into the year so fans will be able to attend, the racing. In the meantime, we can continue to bet safely from our home online and on betting apps.
Stay safe and best of luck on the punt!
