A record 135 horses representing 32 trainers have been nominated for the two-day Birdsville Cup carnival, fuelled by the launch of the Big Red 1000m sprint.
To be staged next Friday and Saturday, the iconic outback meetings will offer $330,000 in prize money.
This year’s entries are up more than 100 per cent on 2024, making it a record set of nominations for the Birdsville Race Club.
Vice-president Gary Brook said the injection of the new $40,000 sprint has helped reshape the carnival.
“The introduction of the Akubra Big Red to complement the TAB Birdsville Cup has really helped to spark interest,” Brook said.
“It’s fantastic to see trainers bringing teams of horses to Birdsville from far and wide.”
Tasmania will be represented for the first time with the Keys brothers, John and Robert, based on King Island, making the 3200km trip to the edge of the Simpson Desert.