November 13, 2015
The Hon Stuart Ayres MP, Minister for Trade, Tourism, Major Events, Minister for Sport, today announced the newest edition to Sydney’s race day calendar, the Chinese Festival of Racing.
The Australian Turf Club will host the inaugural event at Royal Randwick on Saturday, 16 January 2016 in association with the Australian Chinese Primary Industry Council and the Australasian Horse Racing Federation Incorporated.
Celebrating a great love and admiration for Thoroughbred racing, the feature race day will combine one of Australia’s favourite pastimes, with a backdrop of rich Chinese culture.
Lion dancers and other national displays, traditional food stalls and noodle markets and dedicated services for Chinese people to enjoy a day at the races will be some of the attractions offered on the day.
The Club will engage Cantonese and Mandarin speaking translators for behind the scenes guided tours of Royal Randwick as well as provide form guides printed and displayed in these languages.
Australian Turf Club CEO Darren Pearce said the race day aimed to attract a new audience and to build a friendship with the Chinese community in Sydney, whilst also helping to promote tourism and trade with China.
“With the help of the Australasian Horse Racing Federation Incorporated and The Australian Chinese Primary Industry Council, the Club will be able to build and develop new opportunities domestically and abroad,’’ Mr Pearce said.
“We are focused on doing a better job in making the race day more relevant and enjoyable for those who have not traditionally made it their first place of choice to enjoy racing, or to place a bet and enjoy the fun and elegance of Australian racing. If we get it right it could lead to substantial new investment in Sydney racing.
“Horse racing is a thrilling sporting and social event but it needs to reach out to new communities to continue to grow,’’ Mr Pearce said.