Northern Territory racing revolves around atmosphere and community more so than genuine top line competition.

That’s not to say the top end has never produced a good horse, far from it, in fact they’ve enjoyed good success on Australia’s biggest stage.

That said though the depth of talent up north isn’t quite what it is around the racing heartland of the country.

That doesn’t stop them having a good time though and if enjoying a race day is what you’re after the Northern Territory has you covered.

Many will attest to the fact that you haven’t experience a racing carnival until you’ve experienced the Darwin Cup carnival.

In fact the feature event Darwin Cup meeting is entrenched in folklore and considered to be one of the best experiences in Australia.

The meet is held on the first Monday of August every year and attracts crowds in excess of 20,000.

It’s also their biggest race each year and the one that attracts handy travellers from southern states.

It is held at the Northern Territory’s major racecourse, Fannie Bay, run by the Darwin Turf Club.

There are also a number of smaller country tracks including Alice Springs Racecourse in the south.

Northern Territory racing may not be the most prominent in the country but it’s certainly not a place to ignore.