Sydney Carnival off to a galloping start

The BMW Sydney Carnival takes centre stage this month, generating plenty of excitement as eager punters and members of the local community head towards the Royal Randwick for the annual horseracing event.

Organised by the Australian Turf Club (ATC), this year’s racing season caught the eye of BMW who were established as the new, naming rights sponsor for the event.

The ATC is a new name in itself, resulting from a merge early last year between the Australian Jockey Club and the Sydney Turf Club.

In the 170 years since its inception in 1842, The Australian Jockey club has been considered the senior racing club in Australia, overseeing a wide variety of events and spectacles across Sydney with plenty of local residents getting involved.

ATC representative, Larissa O’Connor, affirmed that a lot of planning and preparation went into the event in order to create an enjoyable experience for the local community.

“We aim to put on the best carnival possible,” she said.

“[We want to] ensure every one of the patrons on the racecourse is able to experience autumn racing at its best”.

However, The Royal Randwick has experienced issues arising from a $150 re-development project that has been in progress over the last few years.

Despite its lower rates of attendance this year, the Royal Randwick continues to be an important part of Randwick’s cultural identity, with the re-developments aimed at consolidating the appeal of the venue for future horse-racing events.

For next year’s autumn racing season, the Royal Randwick will boast a new Theatre of the Horse Amphitheatre which is expected to hold over 4500 patrons, as well as the establishment of a new Grandstand.

Larissa O’Connor believes that the re-development of the Royal Randwick will help to create a unique and memorable experience for local residents.

“Expect a completely different race day experience,” she said.

Waverley Councillor Ingrid Strewe echoed these sentiments, emphasising the significance of the Carnival to the wider community.

“Sydney wouldn’t be Sydney without a race meet,” she affirmed.

With fashion regularly at the forefront of the Carnival, participants of the annual ‘Fashion on the Field’ contest sported the traditional autumn look of long sleeves, furs and felt.

The three remaining events at Randwick include the fashionable David Jones Australian Derby Day on Saturday April 14, the BMW Doncaster Day on April 21 and the Schweppes Sydney Cup Day on April 28.

The TAB Sportsbet Paddock has been opened for the first time in 40 years to counter Royal Randwick’s reduced capacity but the ATC strongly advise the public to pre-purchase tickets for these events.

By Katie Davern