Media Release | Iconic Outback Races Deliver Dusty Fun in the Sun
- 2024 Birdsville Races – today, Friday, 6 September and tomorrow Saturday, 7 September 2024
- Images and videos from the event will be available HERE
Additional footage delivered via Dejero to Nine newsroom
[Birdsville, QLD – 6 September 2024] The 142nd edition of the historic Birdsville Races kicked off today with costumed, colourful punters lighting up the dusty outback track for the first day of racing.
3,000 punters converged on the iconic racetrack that sits on the edge of the Simpson Desert for the two-day race meet.
The first day of the carnival known as the Melbourne Cup of the Outback, featured trainers and jockeys hailing as far afield as SA, VIC and the NT – with a strong contingent of from home state QLD in for the first day of Western Queensland’s richest two-day race meet.
On her first day at the legendary event, Birdsville Races Ambassador Grace Hayden said, “This is my first time to Outback Queensland and the whole trip has been amazing. It’s such a beautiful landscape, and everyone has been so friendly and welcoming. I go to the races a lot, but these are the most unique I’ve ever experienced. There’s something special about seeing thoroughbred horses galloping down the track with a cloud of dust behind them. I can’t wait to do it all again tomorrow.”
“We’re thrilled with the numbers we’ve had through the gates today and it looks like we’ve just pipped our 2023 crowd. It’s awesome to see so many making the trip out to Birdsville for the races. We’ve had Group 1 winning trainer Phillip Stokes make a surprise visit to bring three generations of Stokes racing royalty to the event – joining his son Tommy, who manages his Adelaide operation and dad Ron and their stable of horses including Cup favourites and last year’s winner, Neodium, and his beloved stable mate Trumpsta,” said Birdsville Races Club Vice President Gary Brook.
We have other trainers with deep connections to Birdsville such as Darwin based Phillip Cole who has travelled the furthest, alongside first-timers keen to experience the magic of the outback for themselves. We’ve had another cracking day of weather after a beautiful sunny meet last year and have an order in for more of the same tomorrow.”
This year’s field also featured strong representation from female jockeys, including apprentices Chloe Lowe, Savannah McCann, and Dakota Gillett who hit the dusty track for the first time.
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Along with faces like Grace Hayden who are new to the races, are stalwarts of the event including Race Caller Josh Fleming has been calling the Birdsville Races since 1998 when he was just 14 years old and has worked his way up in the industry to Chief Races Caller for Sky Racing Brisbane’s Group 1 major metropolitan meets.
“I love the Birdsville Races. They gave me my start in the industry and believed in me when I was just a kid starting out, so it’s something I’ll always come back to. So many of us have been coming for 20 to 30 years. It’s like an annual family reunion. There’s something very special about the Birdsville Races that keeps all of us who work on it, as well as punters, coming back year after year,” said Josh Fleming.
While some come for the horses, the Birdsville Races weekend is equally famous for its unconventional fashions and trackside frivolities with racegoers donning wild and wacky costumes that included blow up rooster, Mexicans from Gordan, Victoria, bright coloured Birdsville Races Roadies teams and a group of Hogan’s Heroes.
Birdsville Races Roadies also travelled from far afield including The Dusty in the Dust group of twelve friends who have spent a week travelling through outback Queensland to Birdsville for four days of fun in town before heading back out on the 2,200+km round trip on a two-week journey back home. Two of the group, Elvis and Sheree will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary while on the bucket list trip.
The OBE Organic VIP marquee ticket holders sat trackside enjoying a menu that included beef OBE beef pad Thai, BBQ Korean OBE beef bowl with spicy peanut sauce and rare roasted chermoula crust OBE porterhouse, as well as vegetarian and chicken options.
Last night a special Birdsville Races RFDS ‘Light the Lanterns’ Gala was staged for the first time at the Racetrack to help shine a light on the vital service the Royal Flying Doctor Service provides as a cornerstone of medical care in rural and remote Australia.
“The gala event gave racegoers a unique opportunity to experience the Birdsville Racetrack at night under the stars – and it raised nearly $17,000 for the RFDS. The lanterns lit down the track were beautiful. It’s something that will become a permanent fixture on the event line-up it was so well received,” said Ginnie Hope-Johnstone, Event Manager, Birdsville Race Club.
The event also saw a collaboration with Western Queensland Spirit of a special limited edition Birdsville Races Gin launched, with sales of the gin also adding to the RFDS fundraising tally.
Tomorrow sees the 2023 race program culminate with the headline 1,600m TAB Birdsville Cup, with a $50,000 prize purse.
The Birdsville Races are a full TAB meet with the combined prize money for the 13-race carnival topping more than $300,000. The total prize pool for the Simpson Desert Racing Carnival, which includes the Birdsville Races as well as the Betoota and Bedourie Races, now sits at a record $452,000 – making it the richest two weeks of racing in Outback Queensland.
Punters across Australia can experience all action from the Birdsville Races from the comfort of their own homes on Sky Racing.
The Birdsville Races are proudly supported by the Queensland Government, through Tourism and Events Queensland.
About the Birdsville Races
The bucket list Birdsville Races are the most remote thoroughbred horse races in the world.Staged in the spectacular Simpson Desert of Outback Queensland, the Birdsville Races have a rich history of dirt track racing, fashions on the field and colourful characters spanning 142 years.
Known as the Melbourne Cup of the Outback, the Birdsville Races generate millions of dollars in tourism spending for Outback Queensland, as well as being a much-needed social event for remote property holders and communities.
The combined prize money for the 13-race carnival tops more than $300,000, plus bonuses. The Birdsville Cup prize money alone is $50,000. The event also supports the important outback medical work of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
For more information, visit www.birdsvilleraces.com,
For media inquiries, please contact:
Kylie Edwards, Cardinal Spin | M: 0422 233 996 | E: kylie@cardinalcomms.com.au
Georgia Kinninmont, Cardinal Spin | M: 0430 355 295 | E: georgia@cardinalcomms.com.au
