The 143rd Birdsville Races roared to life today with a burst of trackside colour and red desert dust, as a record crowd of punters converged on the edge of Queensland’s Simpson Desert for the iconic two-day meet.
Dubbed the Melbourne Cup of the Outback, this year’s $330,000 Birdsville carnival has drawn bumper entries 13 races more than doubling entry numbers from 2024 and setting a new benchmark in the event’s storied history.
Click here for all the results from Friday.
A record 130 horses from 31 trainers will take to the dirt track, with Revolt storming home to win the inaugural $40,000 Akubra Big Red 1000m sprint, the hotly anticipated new race honouring the towering 40-metre sand dune that dominates the desert horizon 35km from Birdsville.
Champion bush rider Kody Nestor and trainer Jay Morris were the winning combination with Revolt, having previously had Birdsville success when they took out the 2015 TAB Birdsville Cup with Iron Meteorite.
Birdsville Race Club Vice President Gary Brook said the new sprint had re-shaped the carnival.
“We know the Akubra Big Red race helped draw the record number of entries this year. It was a hotly contested race and there was a real buzz amongst trainers and jockeys in the lead-up. We’re thrilled that Akubra has come on board to sponsor the race and it was fantastic to see the Saunders family, who have a long association with the races as Bookies and owners, have the inaugural win with Revolt,” Brook said.
Trainers travelled from the NT, NSW, Vic, SA, Qld and for the first time in its 143-year history, Tasmania is represented at Birdsville, with the Keys brothers—John (Tasmania), Robert (King Island) and Ken (Cranbourne, via King Island) - hauling their teams more than 3,200km for a crack at desert racing glory.
Brook said full fields across the board had supercharged the opening day.
“There’s nothing like a full field of horses thundering down the dirt track to the finish line. We’ve got record numbers on track, the whacky outfits were out in force and the vibe was incredible. It’s going to be another cracking day tomorrow for the TAB Birdsville Cup.”
Tomorrow’s $60,000 TAB Birdsville Cup has drawn a full field of 12 horses, with contenders from as far afield as Tasmania, Forbes, Nyngan, Darwin, Adelaide, Mt Isa, Toowoomba and Mackay. Queensland powerhouses John Manzelman (17 horses) and Bevan Johnson (12) lead the charge, though the Keys brothers hold the record for distance travelled.
One of the hot tips for the TAB Birdsville Cup tomorrow is Hettinger who recently won the Katherine Cup by twelve lengths.
While some come for the horses, others come for the spectacle. Opening day’s Fashions on the Field drew a colourful field of characters, with winners of the Novelty Fashions on the Field ‘The Limo Boyz’ from Brisbane and the Gold Coast literally going the extra mile to make their bucket list experience at their first Birdsville Races - buying a $3K limo from a publican in Brisbane which broke down numerous times on the way to Birdsville. They finally limped into town two days ago and today took out the novelty fashions on the field with their inflatable animals costumes.
The OBE Organic Pavillion hosted more 275 guests, who dined while enjoying prime views of the action.
Punters nationwide tuned in courtesy of Sky Racing’s telecast, beaming the full race program into homes across the globe.
The Birdsville Races are proudly supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland, and feature on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar.
