February 8, 2021

Sunday, 7 February 2021 marked the 10 year anniversary of the Australian Jockey Club and the Sydney Turf Club merger and the formal start of the Australian Turf Club.

The Australian Turf Club has progressed to become one of the world’s best and most respected thoroughbred racing clubs, with some of the strongest racing and participants in international racing.

Some highlights from the first 10 years of the Australian Turf Club include:

• Queen Elizabeth II Grandstand redevelopment at Royal Randwick
• JR Fleming Stand refurbishment at Rosehill Gardens
• Full rebuild and opening of the Kensington Track
• New racing fixtures including The Championships, The Everest, and The Golden Eagle
• Farewells for the legendary Black Caviar and Winx at Royal Randwick
• Modern era record breaking crowds – 42,000 sell-out crowd in 2019 for Winx’s farewell and over 40,000 people at The Everest in 2018 and 2019
• Record crowds for the relaunch of Friday night racing at Canterbury Park
• Establishment of the ATC Foundation
• Continued racing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic
• Hosting more than 110 racedays per year
• Hosting hundreds of business and social events across our venues on non-racedays
• Management of 27 tracks on 278 hectares of land
• 10 Australian Turf Club races rated in the world’s Top 100 highest-rated races

Ten years ago at the time of the merger, an artwork was commissioned to celebrate the newly created Australian Turf Club and to honour the Australian Jockey Club, the Sydney Turf Club, and the first Autumn Carnival run by the new club.

This large format artwork “A Merger of Equals” was created by the artist Donna Gibb.

The collage-nature of the piece captures aspects of both clubs from the grandstands, to key races, to the people involved. Winners of the 18 Group 1 races are depicted at various points on the canvas, old and new grandstands, premiership winning trainers, and the city skyline, creating an exciting melange of information setting the new club up to take on traditions and make new ones.