A forecast of 40° in Victoria on Saturday has forced Racing Victoria to change race times.

Melbourne Racing Club's Caulfield meeting will move forward an hour in a bid to beat the heat.

It will now kick off at 11:20am AEDT and will wrap up with Race 10 at 4:25pm.

The Great Western meeting will start at 11:31am and finish at 3:26pm.

Yea picnics will start at 12:06pm and finish at 3pm.

The updated race times (all AEDT) for each meeting are as follows:

Saturday, 24 January - Caulfield

Race 1: 11:20am
Race 2: 11:50am
Race 3: 12:20pm
Race 4: 12:50pm
Race 5: 1:25pm
Race 6: 2:00pm
Race 7: 2:35pm
Race 8: 3:10pm
Race 9: 3:45pm
Race 10: 4:25pm

Saturday, 24 January – Great Western

Race 1: 11:31am
Race 2: 12:01pm
Race 3: 12:31pm
Race 4: 1:06pm
Race 5: 1:41pm
Race 6: 2:16pm
Race 7: 2:51pm
Race 8: 3:26pm

Saturday, 24 January - Yea

Race 1: 12:06pm
Race 2: 12:40pm
Race 3: 1:15pm
Race 4: 1:50pm
Race 5: 2:25pm
Race 6: 3:00pm