Overview
WARRNAMBOOL MAY CARNIVAL PREVIEW
The Australian Racing community knows when it is May, because that means "The 'Bool". Punters have been making the trek to the Victorian Western District town of Warrnambool for the three day racing carnival since 1873 when the first Warrnambool Cup was conducted. There is many ways to make the journey from the Melbourne CBD, some with take the scenic route of the picturesque Great Ocean Road and take in the most magnificent scenery Victoria offers, others the express route through "Cats" territory of Geelong and through iconic towns such as Colac and Terang or take their time and discover the Goldfields through Ballarat and Mortlake by road. Those with the ambitions of a "big week" without the stress of a drive home can enjoy the comfort of a 4 hour train ride with the promise of no speeding fines through the small towns of Victoria. Whichever way you choose to travel it is a "bucket list" item for jumps racing enthusiasts and those that crave for that country racing feel. The Carnival is a celebration of country racing in Victoria and the annual meeting is run in the first week of May (always the first Thursday of May), where in 2026 22 flat races and 8 jumps races will be conducted including the famed Grand Annual Steeplechase that was first ran in 1872. The Warrnambool Carnival has always been a challenge for the punters over the years, big fields and usually wet track conditions can offer difficult races to assess. Local trainers have always had an above average strike rate over the three day Carnival, so if you are tossing up between a couple of runners in a race source out the local trainers and give them another tick The feature of the first day of the Carnival is the Brierly Steeplechase ran over the 3450m through the paddocks on the out-skirts of the main track this race is the typical lead-up for the Grand Annual Steeplechase to be run on the Thursday. There have been countless runners that have completed the Brierly/Grand Annual double and always look for those horses that either win or are running on in the Brierly to follow in the more grueling task on Thursday. The first day is also the day to watch the betting markets particularly in the maiden races. In the past trainers such as Robert Smerdon and the late Robbie Laing pulled off some major plunges with horses they had set for the Warrnambool Carnival, expect some major moves late in markets. Wednesday is highlighted by the Wangoom Handicap (1200m). Affectionately known as the "Newmarket of the West", the race is a $200,000 handicap that produces close finishes, upsets and story-lines that stand the test of time. Local trainer Aaron Purcell took out last year's Wangoom with the consistent Dashing. Also on the program is the top hurdle race of the three days in the Galleywood Hurdle. In 1984 the horse Galleywood fell in front of the grandstand in the Grand Annual Steeplechase and the "green screen" came out with racegoers fearing the horse had suffered a fatal injury, but too everyone's amazement he recovered and was led away for a long recovery as the crowd cheered. Galleywood was not fit enough to run in the Annual the following year but in 1986 he took he's place in the field and proved too strong "coming back from the dead" as famous racecaller Bryan Martin declared. Thursday is the culmination of the three-day Carnival with the running of the Warrnambool Cup and Grand Annual Steeplechase. The Warrnambool Cup is a Listed Handicap ran over 2350m and was first ran in 1873 when won by Villers. Local trainers have won the last three Cups and they have a strong record with all locals striving for a Cup win. The Grand Annual Steeplechase is ran over the testing 5500m through the open paddocks and horses have to negotiate a variety of 33 obstacles, more than any other steeplechase in the world. The horses travel in clockwise circuit for the first lap before switching to the anti-clockwise direction when they complete the "Tozer Road" double and run the last 1400m. The race is full of heroic battles, with the most recent the clashes of Gold Medals and Zed Em. Last season the Stawell trainer Andrew Bobbin completed the Brierly/Grand Annual double with the tough gelding Duke Of Bedford. He will be returning in 2026 to try and repeat his famous victory. Whatever happens at the "Bool over the three days, you can be assured that stories will be written and memories will be made and anyone who has attended will be walking away saying "how bloody good is the "Bool".