Perth is serving up the sunshine, which means it’s time for the fillies to flutter in their finery and the gents to get suited and booted for a day at Ascot.
Spring racing is back, bringing with it a packed calendar of racing, fashion, long lunches, live entertainment and trackside celebrations. And Ascot is having a moment, with more than 80,000 racegoers expected across the 2026 Ascot Racing Carnival.
From Fashions on the Field to Group 1 racing and the return of Hot Dub Time Machine as the hero of The Pinnacles series, there are plenty of reasons to get trackside. With 13 weeks in the pipeline, here are our picks for four key race days to add to your calendar.
TABtouch Derby Day — Strike a pose in your black and white
Saturday, October 31st
With its traditional black-and-white dress code, Ascot turns monochrome for Derby Day, with sharp tailoring, statement dresses, and standout headwear taking over the trackside.
Things to do in Perth
The legendary Victorian Derby will be shown live on the big screens alongside two Group 3 races, with live entertainment and long lunches at The Terrace Restaurant or Flying Colours rounding out the day.
And there’s extra incentive to nail the dress code. Enter the Best Dressed or Best Suited photo competition and you could walk away with a two-night Rottnest Island escape at The Lodge Wadjemup, including a Poolhouse room and return ferries for two, plus an Avène beauty hamper.
Black, white, and worth dressing up for.
Quayclean Champion Fillies’ Day — Come For The Fashion, Stay For The Fizz
Saturday, November 14th
If your spring wardrobe has been waiting for its moment, this is it.
Quayclean Champion Fillies’ Day is turning up the style in 2026, with Fashions on the Field taking centre stage on the opening day of The Pinnacles and more than $12,000 in prizes up for grabs.
And we’re not talking about a token gift voucher. The prize pool is headlined by a four-night escape to Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa in Broome, alongside prizes from Claremont Quarter, Avène, Suit Vault, and Drummond Golf.
Expect colour, statement headwear, and some seriously good racewear as Perth’s best dressed compete for the top spots.
Not entering? Round up the girls for an all-inclusive, trackside destination at Fillies’ on the Deck, settle in for a long lunch in the restaurants and make a stop at the Pamper Lounge for free hair and makeup touch-ups between races.
Fashion, fizz, and style stakes. What more could you want from a Saturday at Ascot?
Railway Stakes Day ft. Hot Dub Time Machine — From Racing To Raving
Saturday, November 21st
Hot Dub Time Machine is returning to Ascot for one of the Carnival’s biggest parties.
More than 10,000 racegoers packed Ascot for Railway Stakes Day last year, and in 2026 the party is set to go again. Once the final race is run, Hot Dub will take over the track for a huge afterparty, spinning his way through six decades of dancefloor anthems, throwbacks, and crowd favourites.
Before the party starts, there’s some seriously good racing to catch. Swan Draught Railway Stakes Day is one of the headline events of The Pinnacles, featuring the Group 1 $1.5 million Railway Stakes and some of the best racing talent in the country.
Make a day of it from midday with a spot in the Swan Draught Beer Garden, The Sanctuary or Enclosure on the Deck, then stick around as Ascot turns from racecourse to dancefloor.
Come for the racing. Stay for Hot Dub.
MC Equine Surfaces Winterbottom Stakes Day — round up the boys for the big sprint
Saturday, November 28th
Round up the boys for an afternoon of beers and bets.
MC Equine Surfaces Winterbottom Stakes Day is one for the punters, headlined by the Group 1 $1.5 million Winterbottom Stakes, where some of the country’s fastest sprinters go head-to-head over a lightning-fast 1,200 metres.
It’s high-stakes punting and world-class racing from wherever you are on course, or level things up with premium hospitality in The Sanctuary, with all-inclusive food, cold drinks, and prime views of the action.
It’s one of WA racing’s biggest Group 1 days, and a solid excuse to get the boys together before it’s basically Christmas.
Send it to the group chat. Then send it at Ascot.
So if your group chat is going quiet for weekend plans, send them this lineup and grab your tickets at perthracing.com.au.
