Draft:Racing NSW

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Racing New South Wales, or Racing NSW, is a body corporate established under section 4 of the Thoroughbred Racing Act 1996 (NSW)[1] to control, supervise and regulate thoroughbred horse racing in the State of New South Wales.

Racing NSW provides funding derived from wagering revenue. Racing NSW's initiatives have resulted in more than $3 billion of additional funding flowing directly to the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry, with these initiatives now generating recurring income of over $300 million annually.[2]

Role and Functions

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Racing NSW is responsible for the control, supervision and regulation of thoroughbred racing across the state of New South Wales. It sets rules, issues licences, oversees integrity, allocates funding, and manages race programming and prize money.[3] The jurisdiction includes metropolitan,[4] provincial[5] and country racing sectors.[6]

Governance

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Board of Directors

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The Chairperson of Racing NSW is Dr. Saranne Cooke.[7] Dr. Cooke was appointed Chair in 2024[8], becoming the first woman in the role. She had previously served on the board from 2015 and previously in the role as Deputy Chair. The Racing NSW Board consists of the following members:

Chief Executive Officer

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The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Racing NSW is Mr Peter V’landys AM.[7] V’landys has held the CEO position since 2004. Under his leadership, Racing NSW has introduced significant initiatives in prize money, marketing, and event creation. Racing NSW's initiatives have resulted in more than $3 billion of additional funding flowing directly to the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry, with these initiatives now generating recurring income of over $300 million annually.[2]

History

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Establishment of Racing NSW

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The establishment of Racing NSW in June 1996 marked a pivotal moment in the modern administration of thoroughbred racing in New South Wales. The restructuring arose in response to the findings of the 1995 Temby Report, a comprehensive review of the state’s racing industry commissioned by the government.[9] The report identified deficiencies in governance, conflicts of interest, and inefficiencies in the existing system, which at that time was primarily overseen by the Australian Jockey Club (AJC).

The Temby Report recommended the creation of a new, independent statutory authority to administer racing, thereby ensuring greater accountability, transparency, and separation of regulatory and commercial functions. In 1998, these recommendations culminated in the formal establishment of the New South Wales Thoroughbred Racing Board (subsequently renamed Racing NSW), which assumed the regulatory and administrative powers previously exercised by the AJC.[10] This reform not only professionalised the governance structure but also aligned New South Wales with broader national and international trends towards independent regulatory oversight in the racing industry.[11]

Equine Influenza (EI)

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One of the most serious crises in the history of Australian racing occurred in August 2007, when an outbreak of equine influenza (EI) was confirmed in New South Wales.[12] Initially detected in non-thoroughbred recreational horses, the disease spread rapidly to the thoroughbred population by the end of that month. As a result, the racing industry in New South Wales was effectively paralysed, with all meetings suspended and the Spring Racing Carnival cancelled.[13]

The consequences of the outbreak were severe, both economically and socially. Owners, trainers, breeders, jockeys, and ancillary workers experienced substantial financial losses, while the broader industry faced widespread disruption. The New South Wales Government intervened with a large-scale compensation package to mitigate the economic fallout, though the long-term impact on stakeholders was profound.[14] Racing resumed in Sydney on 1 December 2007, with over 20,000 spectators attending the reopening meeting, symbolising the resilience of the industry in the face of unprecedented adversity.[15]

World Youth Day

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Final Mass at Royal Randwick Racecourse

In July 2008, Sydney hosted the international Catholic celebration World Youth Day, culminating in a Papal Mass conducted by Pope Benedict XVI. The central liturgical events were held at Randwick Racecourse, a venue with a long history of accommodating large-scale religious gatherings in addition to its primary function as a racing facility.[16]

The decision to stage the mass at Randwick was not without controversy, as the racing industry was still recovering from the equine influenza crisis of the previous year.[17] To facilitate preparations for the event, thoroughbred racing in Sydney was temporarily relocated to Warwick Farm Racecourse. Despite the logistical challenges and initial concerns regarding disruption to the industry, the Papal Mass proved to be a major success, attracting an estimated 400,000 participants across Randwick and Centennial Parklands.[18]

The Championships - The Grand Finals of Sydney Racing

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In 2014, Racing NSW, in conjunction with the Australian Turf Club (ATC), launched The Championships as part of Sydney’s autumn racing carnival. Conceived as the “grand finals” of Australian racing, The Championships consolidated several of the most prestigious Group One events of the season, including the Doncaster Handicap, the Australian Derby, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and the Sydney Cup, into a unified two-week program held at Royal Randwick Racecourse.[19]

The initiative aimed to elevate Sydney’s autumn carnival to rival Melbourne’s spring racing, with increased prizemoney and international participation. By its second year in 2015, The Championships had become firmly established as the flagship event of the Sydney autumn calendar, attracting elite horses, trainers, and jockeys from across Australia and abroad.[20] Today, the two-week series is widely regarded as the pinnacle of Sydney racing in the autumn season.[11]

Inaugural Edition of The Everest

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Further innovations followed in 2017 with the creation of The Everest, a 1200-metre sprint staged at Royal Randwick Racecourse. Designed to attract the world’s best sprinters, The Everest introduced a unique format whereby twelve slot-holders purchased entry rights, which could then be filled by horses chosen closer to race day.[21]

With inaugural prizemoney of AUD $10 million, later rising to $15 million, The Everest became the richest race on turf in the world.[22] The first running of the event, held on 14 October 2017, attracted a crowd of over 33,000 spectators, with champion sprinter Redzel claiming victory.[23] The Everest has since become a centrepiece of Sydney’s spring racing calendar and a globally recognised event.

Coronavirus Epidemic

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The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 had a profound effect on global sport, with widespread cancellations, travel restrictions, and economic disruption.[24] In Australia, however, thoroughbred racing was able to continue under strict biosecurity protocols introduced by Racing NSW and other state authorities. These measures were designed to protect the state’s 38,000 thoroughbreds and the livelihoods of more than 70,000 industry participants.[25]

Although racing continued, major events were conducted under unprecedented restrictions. Both the Golden Slipper, won in 2020 by Farnan, giving trainer Gai Waterhouse her record-equalling seventh Golden Slipper and The Championships were run without on-course spectators for the first time in their history.[26][27]

Major Races

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The Everest

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The Everest is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race run over 1,200 metres on turf at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia. In 2024, the race was elevated to Group 1 status.[28]

Prize money was increased in 2018 to $15 million[29], and in 2023 to $20 million[30], it is the richest race in Australia and the richest turf race in the world. It is held annually in October as the feature race of the Sydney Spring Carnival.

The Golden Eagle

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The Golden Eagle is an Australian Turf Club thoroughbred horse race run over 1,500 metres on turf at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia on the last Saturday in October. It is open to four-year-olds at set-weight conditions.

Run for the first time at Rosehill Racecourse in 2019[31], with prizemoney of $10 million[32], it is the world's second richest race on turf after The Everest. 10% of $10 million prize fund will be donated to charities nominated by each runner.[33]

Other Notable Races

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The Everest and The Golden Eagle remained as the two most wagered upon NSW races and again several of the other newly introduced races including the Five Diamonds, the King Charles III Stakes, The Silver Eagle and The Kosciuszko featured prominently on the list of most wagered upon races. Tellingly, of the ten most wagered NSW Thoroughbred races in 2023/24, new or revitalised spring races account for 65% of wagering turnover. The full list is shown below:

  1. The Everest
  2. The Golden Eagle
  3. The Golden Slipper
  4. King Charles III Stakes
  5. Doncaster Handicap
  6. T J Smith Stakes
  7. Russell Balding Stakes
  8. Five Diamonds
  9. The Silver Eagle
  10. Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
  11. Epsom Handicap
  12. Spring Champion Stakes
  13. The Invitation
  14. The George Ryder Stakes
  15. The Kosciuszko
  16. The Galaxy
  17. The Angst Stakes
  18. Sydney Cup
  19. Sydney Stakes
  20. The Big Dance

See Also

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References

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  1. ^ "Thoroughbred Racing Act 1996 No 37". NSW Government. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  2. ^ a b "2024 Annual Report - Racing NSW" (PDF). Racing NSW. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  3. ^ "About Racing NSW". Racing NSW. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  4. ^ "Metropolitan Clubs". Racing NSW. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  5. ^ "Provincial Clubs". Racing NSW. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  6. ^ "Country Clubs". Racing NSW. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Racing NSW Board Members". Racing NSW. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  8. ^ "New Racing NSW Board Appointments Confirmed". NSW Liquor & Gaming. 12 February 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  9. ^ Temby, Ian (1995). Review of the Thoroughbred Racing Industry in New South Wales (Report). NSW Government.
  10. ^ "Thoroughbred Racing Act 1996 No 37". NSW Government. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  11. ^ a b "About Racing NSW". Racing NSW. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  12. ^ "Equine Influenza outbreak". Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  13. ^ "Racing shutdown over equine flu". ABC News. 26 August 2007. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  14. ^ "Government unveils $235m equine flu rescue package". The Age. 9 September 2007. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  15. ^ "20,000 turn out as racing resumes after equine flu crisis". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 December 2007. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  16. ^ "World Youth Day Sydney 2008". Catholic Church. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  17. ^ "Racing chiefs fume over Papal Mass at Randwick". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 August 2007. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  18. ^ "Papal Mass draws 400,000 to Randwick". ABC News. 20 July 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  19. ^ "The Championships History". The Championships. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  20. ^ "The Championships set to rival Melbourne's Spring Carnival". The Sydney Morning Herald. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  21. ^ "The Everest: Racing NSW unveils world's richest turf race". ABC News. 1 February 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  22. ^ "The Everest prizemoney raised to $15 million". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 July 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  23. ^ "Redzel wins inaugural Everest before 33,000 at Randwick". ABC News. 14 October 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  24. ^ "Timeline: WHO's COVID-19 response". World Health Organization. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  25. ^ "Racing NSW keeps industry going amid COVID-19 crisis". Racenet. 25 March 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  26. ^ "Golden Slipper goes ahead behind closed doors as Farnan wins for Waterhouse". ABC News. 21 March 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  27. ^ "The Championships held without crowds amid COVID-19". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  28. ^ Roots, Chris (9 October 2024). "The Everest gets the group 1 status to match its $20 million status". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  29. ^ Tabakoff, Nick (7 November 2017). "Everest's prizemoney scales new heights to leave Cup in shade". The Australian. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  30. ^ Roots, Chris (29 May 2023). "The Everest prizemoney purse set to increase to $20 million". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  31. ^ Thomas, Ray (5 December 2018). "The Golden Eagle: Rosehill to host Australia's second richest race". Fox Sports Australia. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  32. ^ "The Golden Eagle Prizemoney To Increase To $10 Million". Racing NSW. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  33. ^ "$10 Million James Squire Golden Eagle Flies High for Charities". Australian Turf Club. 30 October 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
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