Ascot Racing Carnival 2026: Derby Day, Cup Day And An East Vic Park Stay

Why Spring Racing Is A Good Reason To Visit Perth

Perth runs its thoroughbred racing across two venues. Belmont Park, on the Burswood Peninsula, is the winter track with fully enclosed spectator facilities. Ascot, beside the Swan River about eight kilometres east of the city centre, takes over for the warmer months. Perth Racing describes the Ascot Racing Carnival as running through to Friday 1 January 2027, and the weeks between mid-October and the end of November carry most of the social highlights.

That timing suits visitors well. Spring in Perth is generally dry and warm without the full heat of mid-summer, and the city's racing crowd uses these weeks to dress up, catch up with friends and watch the Melbourne Cup Carnival on the big screens while local racing runs between the eastern-states races.

You do not need to be a form expert to enjoy it. Many people go for the atmosphere, the fashion, the food and the chance to spend a long afternoon outdoors with friends. If you do have a bet, set a limit before you arrive and treat it as part of the entertainment rather than the point of the day.

The Ascot And Belmont Calendar, October To November 2026

These are the racedays Perth Racing listed on its events calendar when this guide was written. Sponsors, themes and ticket options can change, so confirm each one on the official event page before you travel.

Perth Racing also listed midweek meetings at Belmont Park on Wednesday 21 October, Wednesday 28 October, Wednesday 11 November and Wednesday 18 November, plus a midweek Ascot meeting on Wednesday 14 October. Those are quieter days and a very different experience from the big Saturdays.

Derby Day At Ascot: Saturday 31 October

Derby Day is the start of the most social stretch of the season. Perth Racing's event page describes two Group 3 races on the local program and live coverage of the Victoria Derby from Flemington on the big screens. The Victoria Racing Club lists its own Derby Day for the same date, Saturday 31 October 2026, so Perth racegoers get both at once.

The dress theme is the thing to plan around. Perth Racing asks racegoers to step out in classic black and white, and the day includes Best Dressed and Best Suited competitions. If your group likes a theme, this is the easiest Saturday to coordinate outfits for, because the colour palette is already decided for you.

Ticket options on the event page run from general admission through to restaurant packages, corporate suites and a Punters Club table option. Derby Day is also a good pick for visitors who want a big Saturday, leaving Sunday 1 November free for recovery before anyone flies home.

Melbourne Cup Day At Ascot: Tuesday 3 November

Melbourne Cup is run at Flemington on Tuesday 3 November 2026, according to the Victoria Racing Club's carnival dates. In Perth, Ascot hosts its own TABtouch Melbourne Cup Day with a full card of live local racing, music, trackside bars and food, and the Cup itself shown on the big screens.

Two practical details matter for visitors. First, Melbourne moves to daylight saving in early October while Perth does not, so Perth is three hours behind Melbourne on Cup day. A mid-afternoon Melbourne race lands around the middle of the day in Perth. Check the official race time closer to the day.

Second, the day falls on a Tuesday. Melbourne Cup Day is not a public holiday in Western Australia, so traffic, public transport and restaurants run on a normal weekday pattern. If you want a big raceday without taking leave, a Saturday will be easier.

The event page lists a wide range of hospitality areas, from casual enclosures to restaurants, marquees and private suites. If you are booking for a group, check whether the package includes food and drinks, seating, and whether it is suitable for anyone under 18 before you pay.

Lee Steere Stakes And Champion Fillies' Day: 7 And 14 November

The two Saturdays after Cup week are a little calmer than Derby Day but still busy. Saturday 7 November is AFGRI Equipment Lee Steere Stakes Day, built around a Group 2 race. Perth Racing promotes it as a full afternoon of racing with time to explore Ascot's bars and dining, relax in the gardens and watch from the Grandstand.

Saturday 14 November is Quayclean Champion Fillies' Day. The feature is the $300,000 Group 3 Quayclean W.A. Champion Fillies' Stakes over 1600 metres for three-year-old fillies, but most people remember the day for Fashions on the Field.

How Fashions on the Field works

According to the Perth Racing entry page, there are women's and men's categories. Entrants pre-register online and must collect their paddle from the registration desk by 12pm on raceday. Registering also brings complimentary double general admission for the day. The listed prizes include resort stays and styling packages, so it attracts people who take it seriously.

The event page also mentions free hair and make-up touch-ups in a Pamper Suite. If someone in your group is entering, give them a calm morning, a full-length mirror and plenty of time, then plan to arrive well before the registration cut-off rather than racing the clock.

Railway Stakes Day With Hot Dub Time Machine: Saturday 21 November

For racing fans, this is the Saturday to circle. Perth Racing describes the Group 1 Swan Draught Railway Stakes as a $1.5 million race over a mile and calls it the beating heart of WA racing tradition. It is the race many local fans look forward to most each spring.

The 2026 edition adds a music headline. Hot Dub Time Machine, the DJ act known for playing dance-floor anthems through the decades, performs after the final race. That turns Railway Stakes Day into a late afternoon and early evening event, which changes the planning.

If the group is staying for the DJ set, eat properly during the day, keep water going in the warmer afternoon and decide on transport before you leave home. Leaving at the same time as thousands of other people means rideshare queues and busy roads, so a little patience or a pre-agreed pick-up point helps.

Winterbottom Stakes Day: Saturday 28 November

The following Saturday is MC Equine Surfaces Winterbottom Stakes Day, which Perth Racing lists as Day Three of its Pinnacles carnival. The Winterbottom is a Group 1, $1.5 million sprint over 1200 metres, and the event page describes the country's best sprinters battling it out in one of the most exciting races of the carnival.

The Winterbottom page lists general admission from $25 alongside a range of hospitality options, live entertainment and a full afternoon of racing. Confirm current pricing on the day you book, as packages and availability change through the season.

For visitors, the late-November date has another advantage. It sits at the end of spring, before the Christmas rush and school holidays, so it can be a calmer time to travel while still enjoying warm weather. The Bureau of Meteorology's long-term averages for the Perth Metro station show a mean maximum of 26.8 degrees in November.

Midweek Racing At Belmont Park And Ascot

Not every racing visit needs a big Saturday. Perth Racing's calendar lists midweek meetings at Belmont Park on Wednesday 21 October, Wednesday 28 October, Wednesday 11 November and Wednesday 18 November, plus a midweek meeting at Ascot on Wednesday 14 October.

Belmont Park is the closest racecourse to East Victoria Park. It sits on the Burswood Peninsula, surrounded by the Swan River, in the same part of Burswood as Optus Stadium. A route planner puts it at roughly nine kilometres and around ten minutes by road from central East Victoria Park in normal traffic.

Midweek meetings are much quieter than the big Saturdays. They suit people who are curious about racing but do not want crowds or a big bill, or a visitor in Perth for work who wants a different afternoon out.

Getting To Ascot From East Victoria Park

Ascot Racecourse is on Grandstand Road in Ascot. A route planner puts the drive from central East Victoria Park at about 8.6 kilometres and roughly 12 minutes in normal traffic. Allow much longer on big Saturdays and on Melbourne Cup Day, when the roads around the course are busy before the first race and after the last.

Burswood station is on the Armadale line, which also serves Victoria Park and Carlisle. Transperth publishes line closures and service changes, so check the journey planner on the morning of your raceday. If anyone in the group is drinking, the simplest plan is a nominated driver or rideshare both ways.

A Little Racecourse History Worth Knowing

Ascot has deep roots. A race meeting was held on J. W. Hardey's property in 1848, a permanent course followed, and the West Australian Turf Club formed in 1852. The inaugural Perth Cup was run in 1887, and it is still Perth's feature event, held on New Year's Day or a nearby Saturday.

The course is often called the grand old lady of Australian racecourses. It has a two-kilometre track with a 300-metre straight that rises towards the finish. A railway once crossed the river to the racecourse, opening in 1897 and removed in 1957.

Belmont Park has its own story. Its first harness racing meeting was held on 24 December 1910, and in January 1911 it was used for the first aeroplane flight in Western Australia. Today it hosts Perth's winter racing, including Group 3 races between May and June.

Spring Weather And What To Wear Trackside

Perth's racing season lines up with some of its most comfortable weather. Bureau of Meteorology averages for the Perth Metro station show a mean maximum of 23.5 degrees in October and 26.8 degrees in November, with average monthly rainfall of 40 millimetres in October and 24 millimetres in November.

That still leaves room for a cool morning, a windy afternoon or the occasional shower. Mean minimum temperatures sit at 11.7 degrees in October and 14.4 degrees in November, so a light layer is worth carrying if you are staying into the evening.

Spring sun in Perth can be strong even on mild days. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat or headpiece that actually shades the face, and keep drinking water through the afternoon.

On shoes, think about the surfaces. Racecourse lawns can be soft, and long days mean plenty of standing and walking between the mounting yard, bars and viewing areas. Many racegoers pack a pair of flats or comfortable shoes for the walk home.

Choosing Tickets: General Admission Or Hospitality

General admission is the simplest way in. It gives access to the public areas, lawns, bars and food outlets, and it suits groups that like to move around and do their own thing.

Hospitality packages range from casual enclosures to restaurants, marquees, corporate suites and private villas, with different prices for members and the public. They usually suit groups who want a guaranteed seat, shade and food and drink sorted for the day.

For a group of six, a sensible approach is to agree on a budget before anyone books. Decide whether the day is about the racing, the fashion, a long lunch or a party, then choose the ticket that fits. A group that plans to leave mid-afternoon may not need the same package as a group staying for the after-race entertainment.

Making A Weekend Of It In East Victoria Park

The racing takes one day. The rest of the weekend can stay close to the house. East Victoria Park's stretch of Albany Highway has a long run of cafés, restaurants and shops, and recent guests at the cottage mention being close to shops, restaurants and transport.

The night before a big Saturday, a simple local dinner keeps everyone fresh. The evening after, especially after a long day on your feet, a takeaway or a barbecue at home can be more appealing than another booking. If a particular restaurant matters, confirm hours and book ahead, as weekend demand can be high.

Sunday is the day to slow down. Brunch, a short walk along the river at Burswood or a quiet afternoon in the backyard gives the group time to swap stories from the track before anyone heads to the airport.

Where Sasha's Cottage on the Hill Fits A Race Weekend

Sasha's Cottage on the Hill is a private three-bedroom, three-bathroom cottage in East Victoria Park for up to six guests. For a racing weekend, that layout is the main advantage: six people can get ready at the same time without a queue for one bathroom.

The listing shows a king bedroom and a queen bedroom among its three bedrooms, wall-length wardrobe storage in one room, high-grade linen and towels, and toiletries and bathroom basics provided. There is also a washer and dryer, which is handy for a longer stay or for freshening up an outfit between racedays.

After the races, the covered entertainment area with a four-burner barbecue and a six-person outdoor dining table gives the group somewhere to eat and unwind without another booking. Inside, the 75-inch TV and six-person leather lounge suit watching the Cup coverage or replays, and the full kitchen includes a Nespresso coffee setup for slow mornings.

Practical details matter too. The listing includes self check-in with a key safe, free private on-site parking, a secure front gate and fast internet. The cottage is listed as pet-friendly with house rules for pets, and it shows no cleaning fees. You can see the full details on the Sasha's Cottage on the Hill listing.

How A Group Of Six Would Use The Cottage On Raceday

Picture a group of friends in for Railway Stakes Day. The morning starts with coffee from the Nespresso machine and a light breakfast at the six-person dining table. Three bathrooms mean hair, make-up and outfit checks happen side by side rather than in shifts.

Free on-site parking means a nominated driver can leave the car at the house if the group decides on rideshare, or drive to Ascot and park in the free racecourse parking if they are not drinking. Either way, nobody needs to hunt for street parking when they get home.

After the races, the covered deck becomes the gathering point. A barbecue dinner, the outdoor dining table and the fenced backyard give everyone room to spread out. One previous guest described the house as the perfect place for five adults, with easy parking, and another mentioned the quiet street while still being close to shops and restaurants.

On Sunday, there is no rush. A late breakfast, a load in the washer and dryer before packing, and an easy check-out are much more pleasant than an early wake-up in a cramped hotel room.

A Sample Railway Stakes Weekend From East Victoria Park

Friday: Arrive And Settle In

Check in, unpack outfits and work out who is going in which car or rideshare tomorrow. Pick up groceries for breakfast and a simple Sunday barbecue, then walk or take a short drive to Albany Highway for an easy dinner.

Saturday: Raceday At Ascot

Keep the morning slow, with breakfast at home and plenty of time to get ready. Head to Ascot with time to spare, settle into your area and watch a few races before the Group 1 Railway Stakes. If you are staying for Hot Dub Time Machine after the final race, have water, food and a plan for getting home sorted before the crowd builds.

Sunday: Recover And Regroup

Brunch at home or nearby, a short walk if the weather suits, then a relaxed afternoon in the backyard or on the lounge before heading to the airport or home.

What To Pack For A Perth Raceday

Start with the outfit, then think about comfort. Pack a backup pair of flat or comfortable shoes, a light layer for later in the day and any accessories that match the day's theme.

Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat or headpiece that gives some shade are essential in a Perth spring. A small bag with a phone charger, a refillable water bottle if allowed and any medication keeps the day simple.

Bring photo ID if you plan to drink, as bars may ask for it. If you are entering Fashions on the Field, keep your registration details handy and allow time to collect your paddle before 12pm.

For the stay, pack casual clothes for Sunday, swimwear only if you have other plans, and anything you need for a pet if you are bringing one. The cottage's house rules ask guests not to keep pets locked up inside while the property is unattended, so plan for them before a long raceday.

Before You Leave Home: Your Raceday Check

When you have chosen your raceday, check dates and book on the Sasha's Cottage on the Hill page or through Book Your Stay. For more ideas across Perth and other WTP locations, browse the WTP Holiday Home Guides.