Breeding & Racing Magazine

"Major Overhaul" For Sydney Spring Carnival

Sydney's Spring racing carnival "is set for a major overhaul including race programming changes, venue switches & prize-money increases designed to keep the best racehorses here for longer" reported The Daily Telegraph. If the "blueprint for reform is approved", the Australian Turf Club "is ready to fast-track the changes for this year's Sydney Spring carnival". The ATC's ultimate goal "is to have 4 consecutive Saturdays of Gr1 racing during the Spring". An announcement about the ATC Spring carnival proposal "is expected soon, along with what the club is planning for feature racedays when construction work commences at Royal Randwick after the Melbourne Cup meeting". The Sydney Spring reform plan "is the most radical & exciting since the Gr1 AJC Australian Derby was switched from Spring to Autumn in 1979". ATC chief executive Darren Pearce commented: "All I will say is that one of the advantages of having a merged race club is that we can rotate the tracks & provide the best possible race program. One of the club's main objectives is to keep the top horses in Sydney for longer during the Spring carnival." Any changes need ratification from the Australian Pattern Committee.