Birdsville Races

Cornflower blue skies and the red dirt of the Simpson desert were the perfect back drop as the 135^th Birdsville Races kicked off in a cloud of dust and trackside colour.

Horses and jockeys from as far afield as Darwin, Strathalbyn, Port Lincoln, Bendigo and the Sunshine Coast raced in the first day of Outback Queensland's richest two-day race-meet, while thousands of intrepid racegoers enjoyed all the trackside fun that the iconic races are renowned for.

'What a difference a year makes.  This year we had perfect weather conditions leading into the races, and a typically dry and hot day for our first day.  There was a great vibe at the track with novelty fashions on the field, and for the first time we live streamed the final two races of the day on Facebook – and we will stream again tomorrow," said Gary Brook, Vice President of the Birdsville Race Club.

The 2017 Birdsville Races offer up a combined $200,000 prize-purse, plus a further $12,500 in QTIS (Queensland Thoroughbred Incentive Scheme) bonuses – making it one of the richest regional race meets in Australia.

A number of race program changes have been this year, with several races moving from class-based handicaps to benchmark races, as well as the introduction of a second 1600m race – the $12,500 Benchmark 55 Handicap today.

The 2017 race program is headlined by the prestigious $35,000 Birdsville Cup (1600m), which takes place tomorrow, Saturday, September 2.

Proudly supported by Tourism and Events Queensland's It's Live! in Queensland major events calendar, the Birdsville Races are led by an organising committee comprised of a network of current and former residents of Birdsville, all keen to share the magic of the outback races – keeping the event alive and in the psyche of Australian punters.