The Everest barrier draw projected on to the Sydney Harbour Bridge for world to see
The barrier draw for The Everest will be projected onto the pillars of The Sydney Harbour Bridge on Tuesday night with images for the richest race on turf being beamed around the world.
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The barrier draw for The Everest will be projected onto the pillars of the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Tuesday night with images for the richest race on turf being beamed around the world.
But blinkered Victorian racing bosses on Monday still insisted the timing of the race was “a missed opportunity” because it clashed with the Caulfield Cup.
The Daily Telegraph revealed Victorian racing administrators had voted against The Everest being given Group One status because they wanted it to be held on another day.
On Monday Racing Victoria chief executive Giles Thompson continued to question the time of the race. “Is it the best opportunity for a brand new feature, superstar race in NSW to put it on the same day as a major Victorian feature?” he said.
“Or is there a better opportunity on a non-Victorian feature day, therefore creating a brand new day?” he said. “My view would be that it’s a missed opportunity.”
But NSW business bosses and politicians leapt to the defence of the timing of The Everest, which injects an estimated $100 million into the economy and has attracted the strongest field of sprinters in the world this year.
“People enjoy coming to Sydney for their events so it’s only natural that the richest turf race in world is held here and on a date that works for Sydney,” Racing Minister Kevin Anderson said.
“With the winner taking home $14 million, The Everest is the first class thoroughbred race NSW was crying out for and it has delivered.”
And he backed calls for it to be given racing’s top ranking, which was blocked by Racing Victoria.
“Group One status recognises the highest thoroughbred stakes in the country. Right now The Everest meets that description so all eyes are on us to see what happens next,” he said.
In just three years The Everest has become one of the most talked about races in the world with it being beamed to a global TV audience of millions in 65 countries. It is expected to draw a crowd of more than 40,000 race fans to Royal Randwick on Saturday, almost double that expected at Caulfield.
Celebrities from around the world are already beginning to arrive in Sydney for the big day with former Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland, who will perform after the racing finishes on Saturday, due to arrive today.
American basketballer and TAB ambassador Chris Bosh, who stands more than a towering 20 hands (or 211cm) tall, dwarfed The Everest favourite Santa Ana Lane when he met him on Monday.
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TAB spokesman Adam Hamilton said The Everest was also generating more interest among punters. “At this stage of betting, there is considerably more bet with TAB on The TAB Everest than the Caulfield Cup,” he said.
And he supported it being held on the same day as the Melbourne race. “All the evidence says it’s a good thing for racing and that they compliment each other.
“Last year when the Everest was on Caulfield Guineas Day, TAB turnover for all racing on that day grew by more than six per cent. Both The Everest meeting and Caulfield Guineas meetings grew significantly.”
Last year controversy over the barrier draw being projected onto the sails of The Opera House created headlines around the world.
NSW Business Chamber CEO Stephen Cartwright said: “Beaming the barrier draw onto a world recognisable icon such as the Harbour Bridge is a genius idea and really promotes Sydney to the world.”
He said south of the border had nothing to compare to Sydney’s Coat Hanger.
“They could broadcast the barrier draw for the Cup on to the Yarra River — you wouldn’t be able to see it though,” he said. “Or onto the side of a slow moving tram.”
“The rivalry is good,” he said. “I always wondered why all the big race meetings were in Victoria but The Everest has changed all that in just three years and we now have one of the biggest racing events in the world.
“The Everest is incredibly important not only because of the direct impact on the NSW economy but because it gives the state an amazing profile around the world,” he said.
The war of words erupted when Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys suggested Victorian racing bosses consider moving the date of The Melbourne Cup.
Victoria Racing Club chairman Amanda Elliott said on Monday: “It is much more than a horse race; it is a 159-year-old social and cultural tradition that literally brings Australia to a standstill and unites our country like nothing else. Cup Week and Cup Day are staying exactly where they are.”